The head of “Centrenergo”: Even before the rocket attacks, the company was not much better
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Employees of Centerenergo PJSC, one of the country’s leading companies in the field of heat and electricity generation, had to get acquainted with the horrors of war.
We spoke with the general director Volodymyr Egorov about how we survived the winter, the tasks facing the team and plans for the future.
– Volodymyr Volodymyrovych, you headed “Centrenergo” in an extremely difficult time – in the middle of winter. This sounds very much like a serious challenge…
– Of course, the time is not quite right, but I have been working in this field for a very long time, and a few years ago I joked that I worked for all large generating companies, except for Centerenergo. And here I am.
– How dare you?
– As I already said, you have a lot of experience behind you, why not put it into practice? The company has a difficult situation related to its financial activities, with managementwith a negative informational background.
All these factors influenced the decision of the State Property Fund to change the general director and update the composition of the directorate. I will say right away, the ship that I accepted was rapidly going to the bottom, only his remained nose over the water
– What do you say about the ship now?
– We put the ship on the water, it is afloat, but there are many problems. The main thing is that we managed to stabilize the team, because people are the main asset of the company, and “Centrenergo” historically has a very strong engineering staff.
We reassured the workers, proved that they were needed, that they were not left in a difficult situation. Debt closed, payments salary fees are stable.
This is very important, because people work under constant stress, under shellinga significant part of the time must be in bomb shelters.
The main thing is that there is a result, because we see a trend that workers who went abroad at the beginning of the war are starting to return.
– Let’s translate the figurative expression about the ship into reality. In what state did you head the company?
– Firstly, in May 2022, as a result of the occupation of Svitlodarsk, we lost control over the Vuglehirskaya TPP, the generation of which was 40-45% of the company’s capacity.
In addition, among our three thermal stations, it was the most economical, and the largest number of modernization measures were carried out there.
If we talk about the Trypil TPP, then with a power unit capacity of 300 MW, they can carry a maximum of 200-210 MW, because the cost part is significantly increased and this affects the income from the sale of electricity and the tariff.
– What is the reason?
– Yes, there was serious damage as a result of shelling, but believe me, it was not much better before that – the enterprise was brought to a very difficult state.
One of the objective reasons is the purchase of fuel withof reasonable quality, everything was delivered here in a row without taking into account the design indicators.
With this in mind and due to ignoring the need for current and capital repairs, the equipment was seriously worn out, which in some places was brought to an emergency state.
I am not talking about the provision of overalls and personal protective equipment. It was a shame to come to the TPP.
I do not understand this, because this is the first thing a manager should do – to create normal and safe working conditions.
– Did you manage to improve the situation?
– Let’s put it this way, we took a certain number of decisions that allowed us to stabilize the situation in a certain way, but we still continue to work as crisis managers.
We returned to bilateral contracts through the “Ukrainian Energy Exchange” and were able to attract additional funds, and most importantly – to restore trust in the company, because in recent years there was a sale of electricity, advance payments were taken, but deliveries did not take place, and now these companies are suing “Centrenergo”.
No more indebtednessand, there is an opportunity to allocate funds for repair and operation. We are improving the process of procurement transparency, paying key attention to fuel quality and its design indicators.
That is, today we have an opportunity to prepare for the next winter season.
– Do you feel support state, because not a single company in the country had experience of working under rocket attacks?
– There is state support, as well as a very active position of international donors, who gave us some of the equipment. These are switches, diesel generators, and many other things.
When there were shellings, “Ukrenergo” brigades helped us with workers and spare parts. We have close relations, we exchange experience.
I cannot help but mention the help of the State Emergency Service, Ukrzaliznytsia, and Ukravtodor. Currently, we are talking about the allocation of grants, we are waiting for the mechanism of work in this direction from the state.
– Can you name the scariest day of this winter for you, as the general director?
– There is no such day, there was no fear. Yes, there were very exhausting days when the volume of information and the need to make quick and correct decisions led to a difficult physical and moral state, but this is not fear.
We regularly visit the Zmiivskaya TPP, where there are constant alarms and shelling. Nothing, we sit together with the workers in the bomb shelter, talk, and then continue work.
– On which objects is the largest amount of destruction?
– At the Zmiivskaya TPP, because it is closer to the front. There were landings, the destruction of the roof of the engine room, the main power equipment.
– When dyou’re laughing the extent of the destruction, especially in the cities of Donbas, somehow hands down. Cities were literally wiped out. Is it possible to restore everything?
– I don’t see anything impossible here. There will be victory, there will be help from international donors. Everything can be restored. Our ancestors were able to rebuild the country after the Second World War world war, and we can.
– What is the first thing you will do when you return after the deoccupation of your native region?
– We will do it resumption of work at the Vuglegirskaya TPP and improvement of people’s lives in the city of Svitlodarsk.
And, of course, I will go to the graves of my relatives, because I have not been able to do this for a long time.
– What can you say about Ukrainian energy workers. Are they real heroes?
– I can take off my hat and bow low to them, they are heroes of the energy front, iron people who do not just do their job, but know why and for whom. I am proud to work with them side by side.
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