The Mykolaiv Thermal Power Plant had been overcharging city residents for years and got off with a small fine

The Mykolaiv Combined Heat and Power Plant overcharged city residents for four years, prompting antitrust authorities to fine the company. However, the fine turned out to be negligible—a mere 68,000 hryvnias.

This was reported by the Southern Interregional Territorial Branch of the AMCU.

During an inspection of the heat supply market, theAMCU branch determined that PJSC “Mykolaiv Thermal Power Plant” had been charging residentsinflated subscription fees from November 1, 2021, through October 31, 2025.

The overcharges occurred because the company included components in its calculations that are not provided for by law. As a result, consumers were overpaying every month.

The CHP’s actions were deemed an abuse of its monopoly position in the heat supply market. This violates Article 13 and paragraph 2 of Article 50 of the Law “On the Protection of Economic Competition.”

Following the review of the case, the company was fined 68,000 hryvnias.

It is worth noting that this does not concern the heating charges themselves, but only the service fee—a fixed monthly payment that is relatively small compared to the heating bill. On a single bill, the illegal markup amounted to only a few hryvnias or even kopecks per month.

The Mykolaiv Thermal Power Plant is a strategic critical infrastructure facility in a frontline city. The company already owes money to Naftogaz. A large fine could likely worsen the thermal power plant’s financial situation and disrupt the heating season, so the AMCU limited itself to an amount intended to prompt the company to correct the tariff rather than paralyze its operations.

Meanwhile, in Mykolaiv’s Korabelny District, individual heating units in residential buildings are being equipped with backup power supplies so that residents can receive a steady supply of heat even during power outages.

Ірина Глухова