Parliamentary Legislation on Individual Heating Units
The Ukrainian parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, has passed legislation requiring the installation of individual heating points (IHPs) in multi-apartment buildings. This move has drawn criticism from consumer advocates, including Oleg Popenko, head of the Union of Utility Services Consumers, who expressed concerns about oversight and the financial implications of the new mandate.
Criticism of the Legislative Changes
Analysis of draft law No. 14067 shows that the installation and maintenance of IHPs will be entrusted to heat supply companies, such as 'teplokomunenergo'. This provision is the primary focus of the criticism. Popenko stated that delegating control over IHPs to these companies is the first and major flaw, as it could lead to potential abuses by the suppliers.
A second critical flaw identified in the law is its financial model, which allows the cost of installing the equipment to be included in the heat tariff. Popenko noted that while residents will get the IHPs, they will then face higher heating bills.
“The whole point of an IHP is to achieve savings of 20 to 50%. For instance, without a meter or an IHP, we pay 40-50 hryvnias per square meter for heat, but with an IHP installed, we pay 20-25 hryvnias. That's a significant amount,” he emphasized.
It is worth noting that Poland handles IHP installation differently, with building management companies undertaking the work using grants or loans. Popenko also warned that if residents do not maintain the IHPs, the units will operate in a manner that primarily benefits the heat supply companies.
“The result is that we will pay for the promised savings through a higher tariff. It's foolish to implement such a project in this particular way,” he concluded.
Consequently, the changes approved by the Verkhovna Rada have sparked serious concerns among utility consumers, who may face increased tariffs instead of the expected savings. This legislative push is part of broader efforts to modernize Ukraine's aging and inefficient Soviet-era heating infrastructure.
The adoption of this law could significantly impact consumers' financial situations due to the risk of rising heating costs. The situation may worsen if heat supply companies fail to provide proper IHP maintenance, potentially leading to tariff increases that do not align with anticipated savings. These changes require close attention from the public and regulatory bodies to prevent possible abuses by service providers.