Since the beginning of 2024, the state-owned Ukrgasbank (UGB, Kyiv) has financed almost 90 energy projects totaling UAH 1.8 billion, said Tetiana Kornienko, Director of the Small and Medium Business Department of Ukrgasbank, at Get festival business on December 12 in Kyiv.
“The main part of UAH 1.3-1.4 billion is made up of two components: solar stations and cogeneration units,” she said.
Cogeneration accounts for the largest share of the total amount of loans granted due to the high cost of projects in this segment.
Also, about 20% of the total amount of loans disbursed is for the purchase of generators, which belongs to small projects.
“We lend to almost the entire line of equipment used in the generation sector. These include generators, solar panels, cogeneration, and wind farms. We are ready to take on any project,” the department director emphasized.
According to her, the bank has its own technical office that provides assistance in analyzing projects and finding optimal solutions. Ukrgasbank also has a fairly wide range of financing programs.
According to Kornienko, one of Ukrgasbank’s key requirements for borrowers is that they have sufficient cash flow to cover loan repayment, including the flow generated by the project itself.
State-owned Ukrgasbank (UGB, Kyiv) has provided a UAH 226.6 million loan to Silpo supermarket chain to purchase more than 60 diesel generators, according to a press release from the financial institution.
“Uninterrupted power supply to supermarkets will contribute to their stable operation and, most importantly, guarantee the country’s food security,” the press service quoted Tetyana Parchevska, Director of Corporate Banking and Transaction Business at Ukrgasbank, as saying.
The state-owned bank did not disclose the rate at which the financing was provided or its term, citing the terms of the agreement.
According to the National Bank of Ukraine, as of October 1 this year, Ukrgasbank ranked 30th (UAH 199.05 billion) among 62 banks operating in the country in terms of total assets. The financial institution’s net profit for the first nine months of this year amounted to UAH 4.67 billion, while in the same period last year it was UAH 2.92 billion.
Silpo-Food LLC was established in early August 2016. According to Opendatabot, the founder of the company is PJSC Closed Non-Diversified Venture Corporate Investment Fund Retail Capital (100%, Kyiv), with Volodymyr Kostelman as the ultimate beneficiary. The chain’s total revenue in 2023 amounted to UAH 84.73 billion, which is 21% higher than in 2022.
According to its website, Silpo has 306 supermarkets in 60 cities of Ukraine and four Le Silpo delicatessens in Kyiv, Dnipro, Kharkiv and Odesa.
PJSC Ukrnafta will raise UAH 4 billion in loans from Ukrgasbank to drill new wells and build and commission gas piston units, the company’s press service said on Friday.
“The borrowed funds will be used to finance drilling and production stimulation programs and the construction of modern gas piston stations,” said Sergiy Koretsky, Ukrnafta’s director.
As reported, Ukrnafta has announced 16 tenders for the purchase of gas reciprocating power plants with a total capacity of 63.59 MW-76.4 MW. These are plants with a capacity of 1-1.3 MW (two sets), 1.6-2.1 MW (one), 1.95-2.5 MW (two), 2.4-3.1 MW (three), 2.94-3.7 MW (one), 3.9-4.5 MW (three), 4.4-5.2 MW (one), 5.85-6.8 MW (one), 12-14.1 MW (two). The start of the auctions has been extended by two weeks to September 9-10, 2024.
“In 2023, Ukrnafta increased oil and condensate production by 3% (by 39.9 thousand tons) compared to 2022, to 1.4 million tons. Last year, Ukrnafta produced 1.097 bcm of natural and associated petroleum gas, which is 5.8% (60.4 mcm) more than in 2022.
“Ukrnafta is the largest oil producer in Ukraine and the operator of the national network of filling stations. In March 2024, the company took over management of Glusco’s assets and operates 545 filling stations – 460 owned and 85 managed.
The company is implementing a comprehensive program to restore operations and update the format of its filling stations. Since February 2023, Ukrnafta has been issuing its own fuel coupons and NAFTA cards, which are sold to legal entities and individuals through Ukrnafta-Postach LLC.
Ukrnafta’s largest shareholder is Naftogaz of Ukraine with a 50%+1 share. In November 2022, the Supreme Commander-in-Chief’s Office of the Armed Forces of Ukraine decided to transfer to the state a share of corporate rights of the company, which belonged to private owners and is currently managed by the Ministry of Defense.
In 2024, state-owned Ukrgasbank (Kyiv) provided UAH 40 million in loans to farmers working in high-risk military areas, up from UAH 120 million a year earlier, said Tetyana Korinenko, director of the Small and Medium Business Department.
“Of course, a client who wants to get a loan must meet the bank’s requirements. A very negative factor for a significant share of clients who would like to receive financing is (requirement – IF-U) to be located in a safe territory. We also have requirements that the client must operate in an area no more than 50 km from the front line. But we also have cases using guarantee instruments provided by the state in the form of a guarantee from the Cabinet of Ministers and the Partial Guarantee Fund. We have already come closer to 22 km to the front line,” she said at Grain Ukraine in Kyiv on Friday.
According to Kornienko, Ukrgasbank has four clients from the agricultural sector in Kherson region who received loans to operate within a 30-kilometer zone from the military operations. In their case, state guarantee instruments cover 50-80% of the loan issued by the bank.
“This is a cool tool that allows us to help clients from the agricultural sector who work as close as possible to the area of active military operations,” the expert said.
Kornienko clarified that in 2024, Ukrgasbank lent about UAH 40 million to farmers working in the high military risk zone. A year earlier, this figure was 120 million.
“Of course, this is not much compared to our annual UAH 5 billion loans to the agricultural sector. But with each such client, we understand that we are giving the market an impetus, showing that it is possible to work in this way. It is also possible to have credit relations with such clients. And this risk is acceptable thanks to government instruments,” summarized the Ukrgasbank representative.
JSB “Ukrgasbank” was established in 1993. The state, represented by the Ministry of Finance, owns 94.9409% of the financial institution’s shares.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) intends to assume up to 50% of the risk on newly issued loans to state-owned Ukrgasbank (Kyiv) totaling the equivalent of EUR50 million.
According to the EBRD on Monday, its board of directors planned to consider this project at a meeting on February 9, but has not yet made a final decision.
It is noted that the guarantee financing is planned to be provided in two equal tranches, with the second tranche not yet agreed, and the total amount of EBRD financing is EUR 12.5 million.
The project also includes a sub-limit of up to EUR 10 million, or 20% of the covered portfolio, to finance long-term investments by micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) to modernize their technologies and equipment in line with EU standards, including investments in green technologies (70% of the sub-limit), and to increase their competitiveness.
According to the EBRD, the facility will be mainly used to support lending to Ukrainian private companies operating in primary and secondary agriculture, as well as other critical sectors such as food processing, retail, and logistics.
According to the National Bank of Ukraine, as of December 1, 2023, Ukrgasbank ranked 5th in terms of assets (UAH 180.85 billion) among 63 banks operating in the country.
JSB “UKRGASBANK” sold the building of the Institute in Kyiv on Kurenivskyi Lane via OpenMarket electronic auction (SE “SETAM” of the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine). The sale price amounted to UAH 64,944,207.
The building of the Institute is located in the Obolon district of Kyiv, close to a park, post offices, public transport stops, the Pochayna metro station, shops, cafes and much more.
This is the 24th lot sold by the bank at the OpenMarket auction since the beginning of martial law, and the total amount of sales for this period was over UAH 142 million.
“Despite the difficult economic situation caused by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the real estate market is active in the segment of banking assets. Due to JSB “UKRGASBANK” flexible approach to real estate sales, as well as taking into account the “Dutch auctions” system introduced in 2021, the demand for JSB “UKRGASBANK” assets is at a consistently high level. JSB “UKRGASBANK” expresses its gratitude to SE “SETAM” for assistance in organizing sales, active support and effective cooperation, as the success in selling the Bank’s property directly depends on the quality of the auction organizer’s work,” said Daria Musych, Head of the Debt Settlement Department of Ukrgasbank.
“I would like to thank Ukrgasbank for their trust in our electronic auction. The bank is our constant and long-standing partner. Since the beginning of our cooperation, we have already sold the bank’s assets for over UAH 2.1 billion. The bank is one of our three most successful sellers,” said Oleksandr Mamro, CEO of SE SETAM.
The auction is available at the link: setam.net.ua/auction/539330
The OpenMarket auction (SE SETAM of the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine) is a simple and effective means of selling and purchasing property via the Internet. The online auction has been operating throughout Ukraine since 2014. The total amount of sales since its launch is UAH 21.6 billion.
Daria Musych, OPENMARKET, UKRGASBANK, Олександр Мамро, СЕТАМ
