REUTERS
Buslavets lobbies the interests of the monopolist, destroying the county's nuclear power industry in favor of thermal generation, Geo Leros says.
Ukrainian Member of Parliament with the Servant of the People faction, Geo Leros, claims Acting Minister of Energy and Environmental Policy, Olha Buslavets represents the interests of Ukrainian oligarch Rinat Akhmetov.
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal is also part of the plot, MP suggests.
"I've recently held a press conference, where I submitted documents related to the conflict of interests of [acting] Energy Minister Buslavets. This is someone who represents the interests of Rinat Akhmetov," he told the Ukrainian news portal Censor.NET on June 9.
According to Leros, Buslavets lobbies the interests of the monopolist, while destroying the county's nuclear power industry in the interests of thermal generation.
"I earlier wrote that I consider Shmyhal to be Akhmetov's accomplice (this is especially evident on energy issues). I criticized him for questionable actions and idiotic statements, like the bid to create 500,000 jobs in May," Leros added.
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As UNIAN reported earlier, the acting minister decided to shut down three nuclear power units and reduce the capacity of five more units operated by Ukraine's national nuclear power giant Energoatom, which generates the cheapest electricity. This allowed other types of generation, namely coal and solar ones, to maintain their revenues.
Akhmetov's energy holding DTEK owns two thirds of coal-fired thermal power plants (TPPs) and takes up the largest share (over 20%) of the country's renewables market.
Buslavets was appointed acting energy minister in mid-April. Prime Minister Shmyhal, who previously served as a top manager at DTEK Zakhidenergo, has endorsed her nomination.
Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Energy, Housing and Utilities, Andriy Gerus earlier said that Buslavets contributed to the adoption of the so-called "Rotterdam Plus" coal pricing formula during her tenure as head of the ministry's energy markets directorate, which also boosted DTEK's revenue.