Energoatom may take Skhidny Mining for management as alternative to merger – Energy minister

KYIV. Oct 4 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The transfer of the enterprise to the management of the power generating company is being considered as an alternative to the merger of Skhidny Ore Mining and Processing Plant (Skhidny Mining) with National Nuclear Generating Company Energoatom, Energy Minister Herman Haluschenko has said.

"The merger is legally impossible. Energoatom has loans from the EBRD and Euratom, and these decisions should be coordinated with them… We said that Energoatom can take Skhidny Mining for management," he said at a meeting with representatives of the Independent Trade Union of Miners of Ukraine.

According to Haluschenko, the government committee on economic, financial policy, fuel and energy complex, development of communities and territories and environmental protection on Thursday considered the merger issue and did not support it.

At the same time, the minister considers it quite logical that Energoatom wants to gain control over Skhidny Mining when it spends funds on it.

For his part, Head of the primary organization of the Independent Trade Union of Miners at Skhidny Mining Dmytro Bondarev urged the minister to facilitate early settlements on the part of Energoatom, pointing out that otherwise Skhidny Mining would be forced to partly go idle on Monday. At the same time, he confirmed that Energoatom’s payments make it possible to provide the workers of Skhidny Mining with salaries.