National Energy and Utilities Commission gets new head, media associated him with Galushchenko

On August 5, members of the National Commission for State Regulation of Energy and Utilities elected Ruslan Slobodian as the new head of the regulator during a closed meeting. The voting was conducted secretly.

Slobodian has been working in the energy sector for over 28 years. He started his career in 1997 as an electrician and later held management positions at "Khmelnytskoblenergo." In 2021-2024, he headed the State Energy Supervision Inspectorate, and in July 2024, he was appointed a member of the NERC based on the results of a competitive selection. 

The head of the commission organizes the regulator’s work and represents it in relations with government bodies, energy market participants, and international partners. The NERC, in particular, sets tariffs and rules for the electricity, gas, heat supply, and utilities markets.

MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak criticized the appointment, stating that Slobodian belongs to the circle of officials he associates with the influence of Herman Galushchenko.

Previously, "Ekonomichna Pravda" also wrote about Slobodian’s likely alignment with Galushchenko. In August 2024, the sources of the publication affiliated four of the six members of the NERC with the political influence of the then energy minister: Valeriy Tarasyuk, Ruslan Slobodian, Kostyantyn Ushchapovsky, and Oleksandr Formahey.

Based on materials from: NERC, "Ekonomichna Pravda"