18.05.2026
Energy Club received an appeal from ENERGY 365 LLC regarding the need for an expert discussion on the risks arising for the electricity market due to the arrest of accounts of district heating companies (DHCs) and the accumulation of their debts for electricity.
The appeal notes that the blocking of DHC accounts due to debts for natural gas creates a systemic problem for electricity suppliers. District heating companies continue to consume electricity to operate boiler houses, pumping stations, heating points, cogeneration facilities, emergency services, and other critical infrastructure; however, if their accounts are arrested, they cannot properly fulfill their current financial obligations to electricity suppliers.
The appeal emphasizes that in such a situation, the electricity supplier finds itself caught between two unacceptable options: either to actually credit a critical consumer without a clear source of payment, or to initiate the termination of electricity supply, which could jeopardize preparations for the heating season and the continuous operation of heat supply facilities.
Separately, the appeal highlights that the mechanical transfer of troubled DHCs to the supplier of last resort (SoLR) does not solve the root cause of non-payments, but merely shifts the debt risk to another market segment. In the absence of a separate protected channel for current settlements, debts may begin to accumulate already before the SoLR, which will increase the financial burden on the electricity market, NPC Ukrenergo, and the balancing market.
The letter proposes to consider a temporary cross-sectoral mechanism that will simultaneously ensure:
Among the possible solutions proposed in the appeal are the creation of a registry of troubled DHCs, the introduction of a protected channel for current electricity settlements, the conclusion of standard stabilization agreements between DHCs, suppliers, and municipalities, the targeted allocation of tariff variance compensation to clear verified debt, as well as the preparation of temporary amendments to the NEURC Resolution No. 332 for the period of its validity.
ENERGY 365 LLC requests Energy Club to include the issue of electricity supply to district heating companies under the conditions of account arrests in the agenda of the upcoming specialized discussion, and to initiate a separate meeting with the participation of NEURC, the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories, the Ministry of Finance, NPC Ukrenergo, SEIS Ukrinterenergo, Naftogaz Group, the Association of Ukrainian Cities, distribution system operators, electricity suppliers, and community representatives.
As stated in the appeal, the purpose of such a discussion should not be to exempt DHCs from payment, but to create a transparent mechanism under which critical infrastructure does not stop, current electricity is paid for, historical debts are restructured or compensated, and the debt problem is not shifted to the supplier of last resort and the balancing market.
