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Not happy thoughts after the Electric Engineer / Power Engineer Day

The price of gas is one of the main factors in the cost of production of insulators. And this means in the work of the Lviv insulator company. After all, the company is forced to consume a large amount of cubic meters of "blue fuel" every day due to the technological process, which is impossible to stop. The energy crisis is hitting a company that is struggling to preserve Ukrainian production and jobs in Lviv.

"The rising price of the materials from which the insulator is made - glass, polymer, metal - forces us to take extraordinary steps. Added worries gas, which has risen sharply in value… The cost of the insulator is growing,” said Oleksiy Stadnyk, LIC Deputy General Director for General Affairs. He adds that in the meantime, competitors are entering our territory - and we may lose the most important thing: jobs for our people.

Another headache for LIC in the gas crisis is the preservation of modern technologies that the company uses in production. "We communicate with technicians of energy systems in Europe, America and Asia. We know modern requirements for insulators. Ready to work at the stage of project development. We have qualified staff who know how to make modern environmentally friendly products. By the way, our insulator is manufactured and planned under constant control. For example, the activities of the LIK laboratory are constantly certified by the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (NASU). Certificates confirming the quality of our products from foreign laboratories and reference letters from foreign power systems on the quality of operation of our insulators - another confirmation that the company is on the right track "- says Alexei Stadnyk.

Behind these facts are not just words. And the persistent movement forward and the experience gained while working with numerous orders. That is why LIC feels confident in the international market. However, the company can take part in the development in Ukraine - we have great scientific potential, strong capacity to produce such a necessary and even environmentally friendly products. But does Ukraine value its producer?

Unfortunately, LIC representatives sometimes get the impression that high-quality products in Ukraine are not very necessary… “First of all, it is clear that there is no strategic plan for energy development. The latest crisis shows that the reconstruction of energy networks is no longer a task of today, but of yesterday. With such capacity (there are 4 NPPs, for example), electricity production must be increased. This would provide Ukrainians with their own energy resources - and thus support the energy independence of the state. Ukraine will be stronger and more competitive in the market if it uses its resources. Instead of standing in line for what everyone needs, ”explains Oleksiy Stadnyk, LIC's Deputy General Director for General Affairs.

As for the activities of public authorities, now more than ever support for producers in the field of price control for industry would be more relevant than ever. Energy resource - for their own government needs, such as producers. "If we redistribute the resources of gas and electricity at the Ukrainian price instead of European ones, we would not only increase energy efficiency, not only profits would go to the state, but economic growth would be higher, not slower. And we would not react so sharply to the global energy crises, having our own capacities, "said Oleksiy Stadnyk, Deputy General Director of the LIC for General Affairs.

We would like to add that the Lviv insulator сompany supported the appeal to the Cabinet of Ministers and the Parliament of Ukraine. Oksana Dynik, General Director of the enterprise and at the same time a deputy of the Lviv City Council, published an appeal to the Cabinet of Ministers and the Parliament:

"The situation in Ukraine's energy markets requires urgent action by the authorities to protect Ukraine's industry and economy. Partial or complete shutdown of enterprises due to the cost of gas threatens to reduce contributions to state and local budgets, non-payment of wages to employees, and if enterprises still work, their products become much more expensive. The crisis will peak in energy-intensive industries, which have the largest share of energy resources in production costs.

This will not only lead to a drop in budget and reduce important production for the state, but also to the dismissal of workers who will be forced to leave their jobs temporarily or permanently.

Now Ukrainian producers are forced to react to the rapid rise in natural gas prices. As a result, the next wave of rising prices for finished products of all Ukrainian producers in all industries will take place. So, in the end, ordinary Ukrainians will have to pay for the extraordinary increase in the cost of gas in the final cost of production, which will create additional social tension in society.

So not only economic development is at stake, but also thousands of jobs, unearned income and, consequently, unpaid taxes.

According to the region's employers, the Ukrainian government should immediately declare a state of emergency in the energy market, in accordance with Article 6 of the law on the gas market, as well as introduce a range of measures to support industry. Namely:

to adopt a resolution on recognizing the current situation on the natural gas market as a crisis situation at the level of an emergency situation (within the meaning of Article 6 of the Law of Ukraine “On the Natural Gas Market”);

determine the goals, objectives and government expenditures for the implementation of the program "Large Energy Construction", aimed at taking urgent measures to ensure energy security and energy independence of Ukraine;

develop and implement targeted programs to support companies, in particular by providing them with anti-crisis loans, tax cuts, etc .;

to adopt a resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine "On the implementation of a pilot project for the procurement of machinery in the field of mechanical engineering using non-price evaluation criteria";

increase and prioritize state expenditures on energy modernization and energy saving;

to create conditions for concluding long-term contracts of sale and supply of natural gas at the parity of the price for own production;

to create a trust fund for the formation of compensators for the price of natural gas for industry during the crisis of the emergency level;

to ensure the replacement of natural gas as an energy resource for industry and electricity producers in the event of such a technological opportunity for gas consumers;

take measures as soon as possible to forcibly increase natural gas production in Ukraine;

take measures to stimulate investment in gas infrastructure facilities. "

LIC employees hope that they will be able to continue to develop and support our country with quality products at home in Lviv. Preserving the potential of such unique production and modern technologies is the task of the state, which must show what the support of the manufacturer looks like in difficult times.

29.12.2021