Electricity for bribes: Ukrainian businesses negotiate for ‘power’ using schemes in the energy market

Under conditions of electricity shortages, Ukrainian companies have begun actively negotiating to ensure power supply. According to a source in the energy market, regional energy companies are distributing consumption limits, leaving so-called “gray zones”—periods when outages are possible. These “gray zones” have become a trading object: for an additional fee, businesses can get guarantees of power supply at certain times.

Electricity Subscriptions

“Subscriptions” for electricity have appeared for businesses, starting at $1,000 per week and reaching $10,000-15,000 per month. The price depends on the level and volume of agreements. This allows enterprises to receive guarantees that there will be no outages at critical times for them.

Restrictions and Alternatives

Companies that cannot negotiate “subscriptions” face reduced consumption limits, leading to frequent outages even for critically important facilities. Oleksandr Barsuk, head of the “Yaroslav” concern, reported that his enterprise is forced to buy imported electricity at 18 hryvnias per kilowatt, which is significantly more expensive than the usual tariff.

Trading “Gray Zones”

A source in the energy market said that “gray zones” are appearing massively in outage schedules, which energy workers are actively selling. If a “client” is found who is willing to pay for uninterrupted power supply, their needs are met at the expense of other consumers who are guaranteed to be without power at that time.

Inspections and Regulation

Amid rumors of electricity trading, inspections have begun to check compliance with consumption restriction orders. The State Energy Supervision Inspectorate has already found violations in Zhytomyr and Dnipropetrovsk regions, where dispatchers did not follow outage schedules and overestimated capacities for critical infrastructure objects.

Imported Electricity as a Solution

Some companies have started purchasing imported electricity to avoid outages. Kyiv shopping centers “Gulliver” and Respublika Park have already announced such measures. Experts believe that schemes may also arise in this market, where consumers are offered imported resources at inflated prices, while in fact, they receive Ukrainian electricity.

Prospects and Challenges

Businesses in Ukraine have to adapt to new conditions and find ways to ensure stable power supply. Despite existing difficulties, entrepreneurs continue to seek solutions to maintain their operations and minimize losses related to the electricity shortage.