“Centerenergy” delays modernization of the Russia-damaged TPP for European money to avoid coal schemes

The Swedish fund Swedfund was ready to provide a grant for modernization of one of the old coal power units of the Trypil TPP, which was heavily damaged due to Russian attacks, and to switch it to biofuel. But Centerenergy began delaying negotiations, and the person who led them was dismissed. This is stated in the Bihus.Info report.

The process was handled by former expert from the Office for Reform Support Olga Evstignyeeva. She was the one who advised Centerenergy and conducted talks with the Swedish fund, which was ready to provide money for the development of an feasibility study (TEO) for construction of a new power unit at the Trypil TPP site.

Centerenergy initially agreed and signed on to the first stage – the development of a decarbonization road map (step-by-step instruction for a certain period showing the gradual transition from coal to something more environmentally friendly – ed.). This process was also to be funded by Europeans. According to Evstignyeva, a grant of 400 thousand euros for this work was agreed to be provided by the European Investment Bank.

After that, Evstignyeva, wanting to start the project of transitioning from coal to environmentally friendly biofuel, turned to the Swedish Swedfund fund, which had already financed similar projects in Ukraine. The fund, in turn, was ready to support the idea financially. But at this stage Centerenergy began delaying the process, and Evstignyeva herself was dismissed. According to Evstignyeva, Centerenergy could have stopped because it was not in their interest to switch from coal to biofuel, nor even to modernize to reduce its consumption, so as not to lose demand for coal.

A certain confirmation of these theses can be seen in the fact that Centerenergy regularly finds itself in scandals related to coal procurement. For example, in previous years, when the company was effectively controlled by structures of oligarch Ihor Kolomoyskyi, proxy companies bought coal cheaply and resold it to Centerenergy with a significant markup. However, even after the state managed to neutralize the businessman's influence on the company, nothing substantial changed. Previously, Bihus.Info reported how in 2024-mu Centerenergy paid a little-known firm more than 130 million hryvnias in advances for coal that ultimately did not materialize. It was also found that such situations are not isolated and the energy giant can give hundreds of millions without receiving coal at all or receiving it partially and of extremely low quality.

Let us recall that after the so-called “Mindichgate,” Prime Minister Yulia Svyridenko stated that the supervisory boards of all companies in the energy sector would be reset. Accordingly, the composition of the supervisory board of Centerenergy, formed a few years ago from people in the orbit of the President's Office, should be updated.

Updated: PJSC Centerenergy and the European Investment Bank (EIB) signed a grant for technical assistance in April 2026 with a budget of 350 000 euros for developing a decarbonization strategy.