“Gas infrastructure requires undivided attention. It can’t wait till the war is over”, Volodymyr Syvak

Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Russian troops into Ukraine, JSC Dniprogaz has been helping people to live through a terrible ordeal. The company has been protecting the critical infrastructure at Dnipro and Dnipro district, ensuring a stable distribution of the natural gas to the homes of city dwellers. It has been also actively involved in providing humanitarian aid.

 

Hundreds of calls a day, addressing thousands of issues both in terms of humanitarian supplies and the company's core business, this is now the usual day of Mr. Volodymyr Syvak, Chairman of the Board, JSC Dniprogaz.

 

— Let's talk after the Victory, – initially, he flatly refused the request to give an interview. After all, he agreed.

 

Volodymyr Syak told how the company helps the city in times of war, what key tasks employees are addressing and what challenges we have to face every day.

 

– Volodymyr, tell us what the first day of the war was like for you and your family?

 

Nobody believed until the last moment that there would be a war. On the day of the first explosions, my wife was in Kyiv and I was staying at home with my children. She came back home at about 12 o'clock in the afternoon.  

 

Indeed, the first reaction to the danger was the desire to protect the children and the wife.

 

– Tell us, have the key tasks of JSC Dniprogaz changed since the beginning of the war?

 

Already in the first days, I was invited to join the territorial defense forces and had my priorities clearly set. The task force consisted of many soldiers, and each one of them had his own line of responsibility. The mission was to ensure the operations of all critical infrastructure facilities including schools, kindergartens, and other municipal services. Whatever happens, there must be gas in the homes and its delivery must be as safe as possible.

 

– Were there any additional requests or tasks?

 

All the tasks that were set were directly related to our operations. For example, we were laying gas to a number of new facilities including military bases; unfortunately, I am not allowed to tell you all the details.

 

We did not idle our time away, we did not wait until we were asked to do something. Times have changed. It is us who are asking if we could be of any help and try to assist wherever possible. Ukraine's victory depends on everyone. This has resulted in an incredible concentration of forces of all people, i.e. from company executives to line staff.

 

– What are the company's priorities at the moment?

 

The security of our personnel is our utmost priority. We held training for our personnel together with the employees of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine. As a part of the training program, people were taught how to behave in the affected areas as well as tactical medicine skills, e.g. bandaging, artificial ventilation (respiration), etc.

 

It is also important to continue and secure natural gas deliveries to over 400,000 domestic customers, 3,700 legal entities, and social assets, to maintain the gas supply system in good repair, to remedy damages without delay, and to carry out the necessary upgrade works. Gas infrastructure requires undivided attention. It can’t wait till the war is over.

 

We are holding the economic front which is extremely important at the moment. We are one of the largest employers in the city; a steady job and a stable salary for our professionals are among our overriding priorities.

 

Indeed, we are actively involved in providing humanitarian aid. Our company allocates significant resources for humanitarian needs, e.g. premises, fuel, vehicles, and physical assistance of our employees. The volunteers would not stop their operations even for a minute.

 

– Tell us more about the projects supported by your company and JSC Dniprogaz employees?

 

We help a lot, it is impossible to cover everything. I will recite the main lines of efforts.

 

We got ourselves involved in preparing the city for possible attacks from the enemy and building of defenses. In particular, we purchased 10 tons of sand for the city children's hospital. We purchased fuel for a diesel generator at one of the local maternity hospitals and set up a bomb shelter for local residents, provided assistance to the military, and handed over vehicles, a dump truck, and an excavator to one of the military recruiting stations. This is a special-purpose machinery and not everyone is able to operate it. Our driver Andriy Kolomytsev decided to keep on operating this equipment and assist the military. This is entirely his decision and we supported him.

 

We also provided logistical support for humanitarian aid shipments coming to Dnipro from Poland and Spain containing supplies for children's hospitals, boarding schools, volunteer centers, low-income and temporarily evacuated families, diapers, personal care products, blankets, baby formula, medicines, foodstuffs, and clothing. JSC Dniprogaz employees help receive the humanitarian aid shipments and unload the vehicles. Our company also provides premises for temporary storage of humanitarian aid as they do not have their own warehouses.

 

– I know that you actively support the MOM plus ME charitable foundation? Tell us more about it.

 

This has nothing to do with the company's operations. It is purely my family contribution by me and my wife. For many years, my wife has been taking care of the orphans and actively helping the women who are the victims of domestic violence. Currently, the MOM plus ME charitable foundation is actively involved in helping refugees, internally displaced persons, and affected cities, i.e. Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson. We help orphanages that did not manage to evacuate by supplying essentials and baby products, e.g. diapers, foodstuffs, and medicines.

 

– What about other JSC Dniprogaz employees? How do they help?

 

To date, 30 employees of our company are defending the country with arms in their hands. Many of our volunteer fighters are now at the front line. Unfortunately, one of our employees has been wounded and we support him as much as possible.

 

– Many Ukrainians are now fleeing their cities and homes because of the combat operations. Many of them are facing the issue of finding a job. Do you have any job openings?  

 

At this point, we have already employed 5 people from Rubizhne, Luhansk, Mariupol and are actively continuing to work in this direction. We are happy to hire specialists in the gas industry and other related specialties who have been forced to leave troubled regions and move to our city in search of shelter.

 

– How do you cooperate with other DSOs operating under the RGC brand?

 

There are 20 DSOs operating in our country, and we are constantly in touch with our colleagues, providing them with technical and material assistance. We are in contact with line directors in other regions on a regular basis. In the conflict zones around the country, DSO employees risk their lives every day in order to resume gas deliveries to consumers, boilers and businesses.

 

A the moment, support of any kind is extremely important. Therefore, we have determined for ourselves that we are ready to assist as soon as possible. We allocated necessary equipment, consumables, etc. for recovery efforts. As soon as the situation gets back to normal, our staff will visit the sites in order to assist. Part of Zaporizhzhia region is occupied, Berdyansk is cut off from gas; we still have much work to do. We are working towards a common goal.

 

– What are the main challenges facing the company in times of war?

 

The main challenge is the stable operations of the company, timely maintenance of the gas supply system in Dnipro and Dniprovsky district, prompt repair of damage to gas distribution networks and structures on them, GCP maintenance check, installation of gas regulating equipment, etc.

 

I will name just some numbers for you to understand the sheer scale. Dnipro gas supply system is approx. 5,500 km of distribution gas pipelines. Every year the company transports about 800 million cubic meters of natural gas. We work every day to make the operations of the gas supply system as safe for people as possible.

 

In March alone, we conducted a comprehensive and instrumental inspection of almost 46 km of gas pipelines, technical inspection of 215 GCPs and 774 GDCs, calibrated 84 GCPs and 185 GDCs and maintained 16 GCPs and 40 GDCs. This is an ongoing process that allows us to detect gas leaks and prevent emergencies in a timely manner.

 

JSC Dniprogaz Emergency Dispatch Service crews are also guarding the safety of Dnipro residents and keep on processing emergency calls from our clients around the clock.

 

– How much did the war disrupt the company's plans?

 

Our task is to support the economic front during the hard times. Therefore, we aim to fully implement all the measures planned for 2022 on the municipal gas supply system.

 

For example, our specialists recently completed another stage of constructing the loop gas pipeline in Dnipro district. We laid about 450 m of steel pipeline with a diameter of 159 mm. This project will ensure uninterrupted gas distribution for more than 3,500 households.

 

We are actively working with developers and other entrepreneurs with the view of the integrated connection of customer facilities to gas networks. For example, JSC Dniprogaz recently gasified a newly built residential complex in the Central district of the city. Three sections of the new building were connected to the gas distribution system.

 

We also continue to install new gas pressure regulating cabinets produced by RGC Production, provide customers with gas meters, install autonomous heating for new homeowners, and sign new contracts with household consumers for maintenance of domestic gas networks.

 

It is very important not to discontinue operations even under conditions of war, creating proper living conditions for Dnipro residents.

 

– To wrap up our conversation, what do you wish for Dnipro residents?

 

I want to say to all Ukrainians: we will win! It all depends on each one of us how quickly this will happen. At the moment, everyone shall hold the front line where they are, working for the benefit of our native country. It is very important to hold the economic front line as it allows us to support the Armed Forces and to support the civilians. The national economy shall not fall into decline during the war. So let's work together for the sake of our country. Glory to Ukraine!