The cost recovery of the current tariffs for heat supply and hot water provided by the state-communal enterprise "Lutskteplo" currently stands at only 54%. In order to bring them in line with costs, it is necessary to increase tariffs from UAH 4.75 to UAH 9.81 per cubic meter of hot water, and from UAH 2.28 to UAH 4.75 per square meter of heated area. This was stated at an operational meeting at the city hall on July 18 by the head of the state-communal enterprise "Lutskteplo," Anatoliy Luchko.
According to Anatoliy Luchko, at the state level a unified methodology for calculating tariffs for communal enterprises has finally been developed. However, even a superficial analysis of it shows that the tariffs will not be lower than those calculated by Lutsk heat power engineers. After the corresponding recalculation, according to the methodology, tariffs could reach UAH 5 per square meter of heated area and UAH 11-12 per cubic meter of hot water.
Since January 1, 2006, the state-communal enterprise "Lutskteplo" has been operating at a loss. The enterprise's losses today have exceeded UAH 6 million. If tariffs are not changed and subsidy systems are not applied to compensate for losses, by the end of the year the losses of the state-communal enterprise could reach UAH 21-22 million, which would effectively mean the collapse of the enterprise.
Anatoliy Luchko reported that at the next meeting of the executive committee of the city council, the state-communal enterprise "Lutskteplo" will submit its calculations and proposals regarding the corresponding change in tariffs.
As of today, consumers' debts to the state-communal enterprise "Lutskteplo" amount to more than UAH 12 million, of which more than UAH 10 million is owed by the population.