A company that used to repair kindergartens and sewers will receive hundreds of millions from Centrenergo to rebuild Zmiivska and Trypilska TPPs and supply plumbing

In May 2024, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the allocation of UAH 1.5 billion for the restoration of Zmiivska and Trypilska TPPs. After that, the operator of these plants, PJSC Centrenergo, began actively holding tenders for restoration work and the purchase of relevant products. UNN's attention was drawn to the fact that the same company, G.S. Group Development LLC, won more than two dozen tenders.

The total number of tenders is higher, and the contracts based on their results were signed not only with the company in question. However, such a large number of contracts with the same winner could not but attract attention.

Zmiivska TPP

Only for carrying out various types of repair and restoration works, as well as the supply of products for the Zmievskaya TPP, 9 contracts were signed with G. S. Group Development LLC.

The first contracts were concluded even before the above-mentioned decision of the Cabinet of ministers. So in March 2024, an agreement was signed  for the purchase of services for the repair and maintenance of equipment, namely the repair of a lifting overhead crane in the amount of more than UAH 18.6 million. the contract was concluded in March 2024, in August changes were made, which indicated that the deadline for the work was extended until November 1, 2024. Although, probably, the work should have been completed in the summer.

Already in April, the company signed an agreement  worth UAH 2.79 million for the repair and maintenance of equipment. This time, it is about repairing two ball mill tumbling mills used to grind coal at the TPP.

After the government announced the allocation of funds, the company won 7 more tenders. In July, it won the tender for major repairs of flues and prefabricated boxes BL. No. 1, No. 2, with the repair of thermal insulation and anti-corrosion protection. The amount for which it is planned to purchase these services is UAH 44.9 million.

 And in September and October, two agreements were signed for the implementation of measures to arrange a shelter and restore the building structures of the Main Building, namely, the dismantling of the destroyed building and metal structures of the Main Building. The total cost of these works under the contracts exceeds UAH 32 million.

It is interesting that G. S. Group Development LLC not only provides repair services, but also supplies equipment and chemical mixtures. In May, the company signed an agreement for UAH 130 thousand , under which it must supply 350 oil-absorbing hoses to the Zmiyevskaya TPP, produced, by the way, no earlier than 2024.  in the same month, G. S. Group Development signed a contract for the supply of 500 kg of Sorbentum in the amount of just over UAH 132 thousand. 

However, the largest tenders won by G.S. Group Development were two procurements for emergency repair and overhaul services for the main building of Zmiivska TPP. Both contracts were signed in October. The subject of the procurement was divided into two lots, probably due to the technical features of the works. The total value of the contracts exceeded UAH 266 million.

The total amount of contracts concluded between G. S. Group Development and Zmiyevskaya TPP exceeds UAH 365 million. 

Trypillia TPP

G. S. Group Development won 15 tenders related to repair work or delivery of goods to the Trypillya TPP. However, according to the results of these tenders, Tovka received 11 contracts totaling more than UAH 318 million. 

In August, G.S. Group Development LLC entered into two agreements aimed at carrying out emergency repair works on buildings and structures and isolating station pipelines at TPPs. The total amount of these services was over UAH 30.6 million.  The works are to be completed by the end of January 2025. 

In July 2024, signed an agreement for more than UAH 1.8 million for the implementation of survey services for the main building of the turbine Department. Already in August, the company signed another agreement on emergency recovery of the power unit of Station No. 1 (repair and maintenance services for equipment). The amount was UAH 28.7 million, and the company must provide the service by February 2025. In addition, another agreement was signed for the amount of more than UAH 14.2 million also for the repair and maintenance of equipment, namely Repair of heating and walling surfaces, since the power unit of Station No. 2 is forced to run on natural gas. 

Also in September, G.S. Group Development LLC entered into an agreement to provide transformer maintenance services at Trypillia TPP, which is worth UAH 11.8 million and is to be provided by the end of October 2024. 

As we noted earlier, the company G.S. Group Development LLC not only provides services but also supplies goods. For example, in June 2024, they entered into a contract for the purchase of plates, sheets, tapes and foils related to structural materials. They are needed to perform emergency repair work on the equipment of the station's unit No. 2.

Also, to ensure proper working conditions for TPP personnel, on September 30 , we signed a contract for the purchase of bathroom and kitchen products. These are various shower heads, hoses, faucets, etc. G.S. Group Development LLC won the tender with a bid of UAH 56 thousand. In addition, the company is to supply Trypillia TPP with wire worth over UAH 269 thousand and cement worth a little over UAH 17 thousand. 

However, even the total amount of the above-mentioned agreements cannot be compared to the amount the customer is willing to pay for the development of project documentation for public funds for the facility: "Overhaul. Emergency and restoration works of the building of the Main Building of Trypillia TPP". The expected amount of the tender is over UAH 230 million. This tender was also won by G.S. Group Development - the works are to be completed by December 31, 2025. 

Another tender for the repair of the boiler unit of Station No. 4 of the Trypillya TPP in terms of using non-design fuel (G, DG grade coal) was announced directly by Centrenergo. And here the mentioned company also became the winner-the transaction amount is UAH 31.8 million. 

G.S. Group Development LLC 

The company was previously called SPETS KA LLC and was established in August 2017. Probably, in 2020, the name was changed to the well-known JS Group Development. Currently, the head, founder and ultimate beneficiary of the company is Ihor Chaplynskyi, registered in Kamianske, Dnipro region. Previously, he was probably a co-founder of LLC NVIKP "Inno-Dnipro", which, according to open sources, is engaged in the sale of waste and scrap, recovery of sorted waste, and wholesale trade in metals and ores. 

In addition, a person with the same name filed declarations in 2020-21 as deputy director of the Kamianske City Council's ME "Transport" and director for ICC, marketing, transport and tender procurement and sales of products of the Volynvuhillya State Enterprise of the Ministry of Energy. 

In 17-21, G. S. Group Development won 5 tenders. The biggest victory during this period was the purchase of services for the reconstruction of a sewer collector in the Kiev region - the amount of the transaction exceeded UAH 12 million. in addition, the company won tenders for preliminary engineering surveys during the construction of a preschool educational institution in the Kiev region, and there was also a tender, which concerned the adjustment of design and estimate documentation and the provision of services to support the examination of project documentation. 

The company officially has a fairly wide range of activities - 94 items. Of course, among all the activities, there are those that directly overlap with the services that the company will provide to the two TPPs. However, it is surprising that the company is also engaged in publishing computer games, providing translation services, operating news agencies, and much more. This may indicate that the company's activities have signs of fictitiousness. That is, in this way, JS Group Development may be trying to cover up its unfair activities.

Another important point is the large number of CPV divisions (*code that classifies goods or services during public procurement) for which the company participates in tender purchases. In addition, in recent years, the company has been recognized as the winner by no more than five customers, or rather, in 2024, it was recognized as the winner only by Centrenergo and its structural divisions - Zmiyevskaya and Trypilskaya TPPs. In other words, this is how an imitation of competition can be formed. This may indicate that the company was created by people associated with customers and supplies them with almost all the goods they purchase. This may also indicate that G. S. Group development does not have the necessary equipment, equipment and specialists to perform the work and, accordingly, services will be provided by other business entities. 

No less interesting is the location of the legal entity, at which a total of 42 legal entities are registered. We can assume that it is a business center, but after checking the address, we found out that it is a residential building. 

 "A nice warm house," reads a review on one of the real estate websites. 

In total, according to the Clarity Project procurement analysis system, as of the date of this article, the company has signed 21 contracts with Centrenergo, Zmiivska and Trypilska TPPs for a total amount of over UAH 722 million. 

It should be added that some of the contracts and justifications for procurement will be made public only 90 days after the termination or cancellation of the legal regime of martial law in Ukraine in accordance with paragraph 13 of Resolution 1178 of the Cabinet of Ministers (applied to procurement of goods, works and services for/for construction, repair and other engineering and technical measures to protect critical infrastructure facilities of the fuel and energy sector of critical infrastructure).