Bill No. 14067 on Centralized Heating System Modernization
The Ukrainian Parliament has passed in its first reading Bill No. 14067, aimed at modernizing the country's centralized heating supply. This legislation, developed by the Ministry for Communities and Territories Development, establishes the legal framework for installing individual heating substations (IHS) and alters the rules for financing and setting tariffs.
This move is part of a broader effort to overhaul Ukraine's aging and inefficient Soviet-era infrastructure. A primary goal of implementing IHS is to reduce thermal energy consumption by an average of 15–30%. The new bill states that building co-owners and developers who have already installed IHS will not be required to make additional installations. However, it is important to note that not all buildings in Ukraine are technically suitable for such equipment.
Key Provisions of the New Legislation
The bill introduces several critical mechanisms:
- A mandatory mechanism for installing IHS in buildings connected to centralized heating systems, with a three-year grace period from the law's effective date.
- The document defines the responsibility of heat supply organizations for servicing the IHS.
- It plans to refine the tariff formation process, specifically by including IHS installation costs in the thermal energy tariff.
- The bill creates conditions to attract investment for modernizing the heating supply systems.
Commenting on the bill's passage, Oleksiy Kuleba emphasized that it is a crucial element of long-term state policy.
He stressed that adopting the law lays a systemic foundation for modernizing Ukraine's heating supply, fostering community resilience and national energy independence. In turn, Kostiantyn Kovalchuk noted that the document defines centralized heating as an area of state interest and creates conditions for its comprehensive development.
With the passage of Bill No. 14067, Ukraine takes a significant step toward modernizing its heating system, which could substantially reduce household energy costs and improve energy efficiency. Implementing individual heating substations will not only lower energy consumption but also attract vital investment into this sector, which is critical for the country's economic development. The realization of this bill could positively impact Ukraine's energy independence, especially in the context of rising global energy prices and the need for more rational resource use.