Heating tariffs in Kyiv: how much should heating rise for citizens
25 March 16:05
The real cost of heating in Kyiv exceeds the tariff by 45-50%. This was stated by Konstantin Lopatin, director of the Energosbut JV of Kyivteploenergo, during a public briefing on the results of the 2024/2025 heating season, Komersant ukrainskyi reports.
According to Lopatin, the current heating tariff for households is UAH 1654 per 1 Gcal and has not been revised for six years. All this time, the cost of energy resources, infrastructure maintenance, salaries and repairs have been rising. At the same time, the tariff remains fixed. As a result, the economically justified price of heat is about twice as high as that paid by Kyiv residents.
“This is a direct loss for the company. The funds we are not receiving could be used to modernize the heating system, replace old networks, and improve energy efficiency,” emphasized Lopatin.
The system operates on worn-out resources
The actual underfunding of the heating system means that repairs and upgrades of heating networks are slow or even postponed. In some areas of the city, the networks are 60-70% worn out, which increases the risks of breakouts, heat loss, and accidents during peak load.
This also creates an additional financial burden on Kyivteploenergo, which is forced to cover the deficit from other sources, often by postponing investment programs or at the expense of government support.
The debt of Kyiv residents is growing
Mr. Lopatin also emphasized the problem of growing debts of the population for heat and hot water. Since the beginning of the heating season, the debt has increased by 6.5%, and as of early March, it reached UAH 8 billion.
This dynamics indicates a deterioration in payment discipline among residents, partly due to the economic situation and partly due to a lack of trust in the quality of services or an inability to pay the full amount on time.
Therefore, the current situation raises several difficult questions for the Kyiv authorities and the government:
- Will there be a tariff review in 2025?
- Will Kyivteploenergo receive compensation from the budget or international support for modernization?
- Will residents be able to pay more in the face of inflation and declining incomes?
In any case, further delays in resolving the tariff imbalance deepen the risks for the city’s heating system, which is already operating at its limits – especially in the context of war, shelling of infrastructure, and energy instability.
Read also: The heating season is coming to an end in Kyiv: Klitschko announced the date
How the heating season 2024-2025 ended
The heating season in Ukraine ended without major accidents, with stable heat supply in most regions despite military risks and weather challenges.
“This season is proof that even in times of war, we are able to provide heat to our citizens. But the next challenge is a deep modernization of the heating system,” said Mykola Kuleba, Minister of Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine.
The main results according to the government:
- The season started on time, depending on the weather conditions in the regions – from mid-October to early November 2024.
- The heating season will be completed on March 15, 2025, depending on temperature conditions.
- Social infrastructure facilities (schools, hospitals, kindergartens) were provided with heat on a priority basis.
- The heating systems survived the winter without systemic failures, despite the outdated infrastructure and the constant threat of shelling.
The Cabinet of Ministers notes that the backup scenario for energy supply has been successfully implemented, including diesel generators, alternative fuel boilers and thermal accumulators.
Regional emergency response headquarters worked around the clock.
Projects with international partners helped to ensure an emergency stock of equipment and emergency repairs.
Heating season 2024-2025 in figures
- Over 93% of residential buildings and 97% of social facilities were connected to district heating throughout the season.
- We repaired and modernized over 1500 km of heating networks before the start of the season.
- We have built up gas, fuel oil and biofuel reserves sufficient to cover our needs.
Challenges
In some communities in eastern and southern Ukraine, heating was unstable or absent due to destruction, occupation or hostilities.
Increased arrears for heat and hot water remain a critical problem, especially in large cities (Kyiv, Kharkiv, Dnipro).
