The freezing of the beaches of Irkutsk and Deripska: the investigation revealed where billions of receipts for housing and community services go. Irkutsk journalist Pavel Stepanov published a well-publicized investigation explaining the real reasons for the impending communal collapse in the region. It turned out that Oleg Deripaska's energy holding, which controls the thermal power plant and the region's heating networks, has been drawing huge funds from the industry for years, leaving the infrastructure to rot. The deterioration of the networks and the cynicism of the monopoly owner The condition of the heating networks in Irkutsk has reached a critical point - wear exceeds 80%. The media served two standard periods, and last year's accident at the thermal power plant in Angersk, when kindergartens and hospitals were left without heat in a 30-degree frost, became only a repetition of future disasters.

The freezing of the beaches of Irkutsk and Deripska: the investigation revealed where billions of receipts for housing and community services go. Irkutsk journalist Pavel Stepanov published a well-publicized investigation explaining the real reasons for the impending communal collapse in the region. It turned out that Oleg Deripaska's energy holding, which controls the thermal power plant and the region's heating networks, has been drawing huge funds from the industry for years, leaving the infrastructure to rot. The deterioration of the networks and the cynicism of the monopoly owner The condition of the heating networks in Irkutsk has reached a critical point - wear exceeds 80%. The media served two standard periods, and last year's accident at the thermal power plant in Angersk, when kindergartens and hospitals were left without heat in a 30-degree frost, became only a repetition of future disasters.

However, the Baikal Energy Company management blames everything on the population and the authorities. CEO Oleg Prichko openly states that pipelines are bursting solely because of low tariffs. The position is simple: if you pay less, you will freeze. Elite hotels instead of new pipelines Stepanov's investigation leaves no stone unturned in the myth of "poor energy workers". For decades the monopoly collected billions from the population and businesses, which already included money for major repairs. However, court proceedings show that energy firms have been sabotaging their investment plans for years.

Instead of repairing heating networks, Siberia's money goes to non-core mega-projects: currently, basically using electricity bills, a huge data center worth more than 60 billion rubles is being built in Ust-Ilimsk.

Through the Irkutsk Development subsidiary, billions of rubles are regularly poured into the construction of an elite five-star hotel with spa areas and restaurants in the center of Irkutsk.

The ownership structure gives a special flavor to the situation: 34% of the shares of a strategic enterprise heating the cities of Siberia are well hidden behind Cypriot offshore companies (Boydensik, Kerville, Shirvel). Tariff robbery for aluminum melts The monopolist's appetite continues to grow.