Ukraine president signs power regulator law that benefits DTEK

Обзоры по компаниям и отраслям 13.12.2017 Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko signed on Dec. 12 a law to unfreeze the activity of the NERC, Ukraine's power sector regulator, according to the website of Ukraine's parliament. The law, approved by parliament on Dec. 7, allows the president to appoint at his discretion any amount of NERC commissioners for no longer than three months to ensure the regulator’s quorum. Recall, the NERC has lacked quorum since Nov. 13, when one of four remaining commissioners stopped attending the NERC's meetings. Later on, the president dismissed that commissioner, leaving the NERC without a quorum of four. Alexander Paraschiy: As we've reported, it is vital for DTEK Energy (DTEKUA), Ukraine’s leading coal and power holding, that the NERC becomes operational as soon as possible and adopts necessary regulation by Dec. 21 to enable DTEK’s thermal power plants to secure a higher electricity price for 1Q18 (the price hike may amount to 20% from today’s levels). As we expected, all the power brokers are acting quickly enough to meet the Dec. 21 deadline: the parliamentary speaker signed the law on Dec. 8 and the president signed it on Dec. 12. For instance, another law voted the same day (for changes to the tax code) was not even signed by the speaker. Now we expect the president will unfreeze the NERC’s activity in the coming hours by appointing loyal temporary commissioners. All this confirms our expectations that DTEK will enjoy better prices for its electricity in the new year. That confirms our bullish view on DTEKUA bonds.