Sienkevych instructed that the heat from the CHP plant be checked so that Mykolaiv residents do not have to pay for cold flats

A high-rise block in Mykolaiv, illustrative photo from the NikVesti archive

The Mayor of Mykolaiv, Oleksandr Sienkevych, has ordered checks on the temperature of the heat transfer fluid supplied by the Mykolaiv CHP plant to ascertain whether residents are being charged for heating of substandard quality.

He made this statement during a staff meeting on 9 November, according to a NikVesti correspondent.

During a discussion on the start of the heating season, Oleksandr Sienkevych enquired how the thermal power station calculates charges whilst the system is still reaching the required temperature. Roman Shkoda, a representative of the Mykolaiv Thermal Power Station, reported that the temperature of the water being fed into the system is currently 60°C, whilst the return temperature is 43°C.

The mayor asked whether it was fair to charge people for heating if their flats remained cold, even though the meters were already recording the heat consumed.

«And what is the actual temperature in people’s flats? Well, have you provided them with a service? Or have you sold them gigacalories? I don’t understand this. Just explain it to me,» the mayor said to the heating company representatives.

Roman Shkoda explained that the temperature of the heating medium depends on the weather, and that consumers pay for the service they receive. However, Oleksandr Sienkevych emphasised that what he was interested in was whether people were receiving the proper heating for which they were being billed.

Mykola Lohvinov, director of the municipal enterprise «Mykolaivobltheploenergo», joined the discussion. He explained that heating suppliers must adhere to approved temperature schedules, which depend on the weather. In other words, as the outside air temperature varies, the water in the heating system must also be at different temperatures.

If the heating medium is supplied to the building with the correct parameters but the flats are cold, the problem may lie with the internal building networks.

«If there is no heat supply inside the building, this is a matter for the internal building network. In other words, it comes down to whether the building is ready for the heating season. If the heating supplier has supplied heat to the meter, it means the heat transfer fluid is of the required quality. This can be checked,» noted Mykola Lohvinov.

However, Oleksandr Sienkevych clarified that he was asking about a different situation — specifically, when the heat supply company is not yet providing the required water temperature, but people are already being charged.

«Whilst you, as you say, are reaching operational parameters, the heat transfer fluid, according to what we’re hearing, does not meet today’s temperature requirements. So the question is: how will you charge people — based on the difference in temperature conditions or on the actual heating provided to these people? I am asking you this specific question. Do you not understand what I am talking about?» asked the mayor.

First Deputy Mayor Vitalii Lukov explained that the heat supply company must adhere to the temperature schedule. If the water temperature is lower than the set level, the heating charges must be recalculated.

«The heating supplier is only entitled to charge when it supplies heat at the temperature specified in the schedule. If it does not comply with the schedule, it must carry out a recalculation,» explained Vitalii Lukov.

Following the discussion, Oleksandr Sienkevych instructed the Housing and Communal Services Department to check the temperature of the heating medium in various parts of Mykolaiv and to report the results to him personally. According to him, this will help determine whether heating providers are complying with the established requirements and, in the event of breaches, assist residents in securing a refund.

«I am asking the Housing and Utilities Department to record these temperature readings at various points across the city and report them to me personally. And we will assist residents in ensuring they do not have to pay for a service they are not receiving,» concluded Oleksandr Sienkevych.

As is well known, the heating season in Mykolaiv began on 3 November. According to a decision by the executive committee, heating suppliers were given ten days to connect consumers, and heating charges are to be calculated based on the actual date a building was connected.

However, as early as 5 November, residents of Mykolaiv began complaining about cold radiators. Some residents reported that, due to power cuts, the boiler rooms were unable to get up and running before the next power cut. Others complained that there was no heating in their flats, even though their neighbours’ radiators were already warm.

During a staff meeting on 9 November, Oleksandr Sienkevych also criticised the Mykolaiv Thermal Power Station for the prolonged delay in supplying heat. He questioned the ten-day timeframe required by the company to connect all consumers and instructed that the relevant decision of the executive committee be reviewed.

The issue of being charged for heating that was not provided had arisen in Mykolaiv before. In particular, in February 2026, residents of the building at 9 Soborna Street complained that they were receiving bills despite the lack of heating due to prolonged power cuts. At the time, the First Deputy Mayor, Vitalii Lukov, explained that in order to have their bills adjusted, residents would need to work with the management company to document the disruption, draw up the relevant reports and contact the heating supplier.