The government is trying to solve the problem of the shortage of generating capacity in Ukraine by encouraging businesses and people to create their own generation.
As we have already written, some entrepreneurs have already started to do this, but not everyone can afford to buy their own generators.
In recent days, the authorities have made a number of statements promising to help in this case.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said that the Cabinet of Ministers is preparing a program of preferential lending for the purchase of energy equipment for both citizens and businesses. And he said that yesterday the government approved the procedure for providing financial support to individuals who will install generators from alternative energy sources in their own households. Apparently, we are talking about solar panels, wind and thermal installations.
Shmyhal reported that the amount of compensation for installations with a capacity of up to 10 kW per household will amount to UAH 244,000. And the maximum loan amount is 480,000 hryvnias for a period of 5 years.
The prime minister did not specify exactly when the new credit programs will start and what the terms of lending to businesses will be.
The banking community expects that energy credit programs (both for individuals and businesses) will be launched through the Entrepreneurship Development Fund, which is currently running the "5-7-9%" state lending project.
The financiers said that on the eve of a special meeting on the energy sector, the head of the NBU, Andriy Pishnyi, called on banks to lend more actively to energy projects, primarily from generation.
According to the bankers, the head of the NBU said that the authorities consider the population to be their priority - it is they who will first of all try to provide electricity. Business will follow the residual principle.
Officials believe that companies are obliged to think for themselves how to provide themselves with light, and not rely on the authorities, and bankers should help them with money by opening credit programs.
"Pyshnyi tried to put maximum pressure on the banks and declared that "energy should become the main priority in lending." Large projects for large sums need to be financed by groups (of banks) within the framework of syndicated lending. At the same time, it is imperative to involve local authorities, local authorities (united territorial communities). In order to stimulate energy lending, the NBU promised to simplify collateral requirements (they will allow providing less collateral) as an exception. As for the price, the calculation is as follows: at an average price of hryvnia resources of 6% (deposits + funds on cards/current accounts), banks expect lending at an average rate of 13-14% per annum, and a part of this rate can be covered by the central or local authorities. The National Bank expects that the banks will launch and introduce new energy loans within 6 months," a source at one of the banks told Strana.
And also clarified that on other issues (not energy related), Andriy Pishnyi spoke about the return of the owners' right to withdraw dividends from banks' profits, which has been prohibited since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. It is still unclear what will be decided. They promise to answer closer to the end of the summer, after the NBU recalculates the banks' capital according to the new requirements. In essence, Pyshnyi made it clear that he would allow the withdrawal of dividends if he understood that banks would be able to painlessly fulfill capitalization requirements. But if they themselves do not have enough funds, repatriation of dividends will not be allowed.
