Overpricing of construction costs exposed at South Ukrainian NPP

A former employee of the South Ukrainian Nuclear Power Plant is suspected of negligence during the repair of the power unit's pool. Because of his signature on the documents, the plant lost several million.

This was stated in the ruling of the South Ukrainian City Court.

According to the investigation, the man had worked at the plant for many years and held the position of senior foreman of the repair and construction shop. In 2023, he was appointed responsible for quality control and scope of work during the overhaul of the waterproofing coating of the splash pool of power unit No. 3.

However, as law enforcement officers found out, the suspect improperly fulfilled his duties and signed acts that overstated the amount of work and materials used. In particular, the contractor declared more than 278 tons of one type of asphalt mix and almost 291 tons of another, while only 306 tons of one brand were actually used.

The reporting also included almost 50 tons of bitumen mastic, while the actual amount used was half that. The situation was similar with the removal of sludge and construction waste: the declared figures were significantly higher than the actual figures.

As a result of these actions, Resurstechnobud received more than UAH 5.7 million from the South Ukrainian NPP, which is more than 250 times the tax-free minimum income of citizens. Investigators believe that it was due to the former foreman's negligence that these funds were unjustifiably transferred to the contractor.

On August 19, 2025, he was notified of suspicion under Part 2 of Article 367 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine - official negligence that caused grave consequences. Investigators requested a preventive measure, emphasizing that the suspect had a foreign passport and could leave Ukraine, hide from the investigation or influence witnesses.

The judge, however, took into account the man's age and health condition and decided not to take him into custody. Instead, he was placed under house arrest at night, from 22:00 to 06:00. The suspect must comply with a number of restrictions until October 19, 2025.

It is about the overhaul of the waterproofing of the splash pool of the South Ukrainian NPP in the amount of more than UAH 17 million. According to the pre-trial investigation, the head of the company knew about the tender and ensured the victory of his company. After the contract was signed, the contractor deliberately overstated the cost of materials and the scope of work. In February, the court extended the duties of the director of Resurstechnobud. The investigation is currently checking the possible involvement of other persons and examining the company's financial documents.

Анна Бальчінос