EPH offices disrupted by 17 year olds

The Stop EPH Network’s international action days are seeing 13 protests taking place in seven different countries against fossil fuel giant EPH. The actions aim to shine a light on one of Europe’s top three carbon emitters.

On 28 April, five young people shut down the lobby of Byron House in London’s ultra-posh St James’s. They disrupted ongoing business with placards and drew attention to the resident company EP UK Investments. It’s the UK arm of Energetický a průmyslový holding (EPH).

Security locked three of the young people, two under 18, inside the building. They used force to keep them inside, take their placards and intimidate them.

This protest was against the expansion of unsustainable energy projects, exposing Czech fossil fuel giant EPH.

One of the young people taking part said:

EPH is one of the biggest CO2 emitters in Europe, yet they plan to continue expanding their coal and gas energy facilities.

Candy, 17, said:

EPH is putting profits over the planet by finding loopholes in just transition agreements.

Megan, 24, said:

EPH is one of the top three carbon emitters in Europe, but until now has remained relatively invisible to the public due to confusing structure, creative accounting and greenwashing. We are here to change that.

Lily, 17, said:

The security used intimidation tactics, locking us inside the building and claiming to have power over us. We refused to be intimidated, and will continue to expose EPH and Daniel Krětínský for destroying our futures and communities across Europe.

EPH is one of the biggest companies in Czechia, owned by billionaire Daniel Krětínský. It owns coal fired power stations in Czechia, Slovakia, Italy, and Germany. It claims to be moving mostly away from coal.

EPH owns Kilroot, in the North of Ireland, which was the UK’s penultimate coal power station. And it has gas infrastructure in Italy, France, Germany, Netherlands, UK, Slovakia, and Czechia.

Krětínský added the UK’s Royal Mail to his collection of companies in 2025. He’s also faced scrutiny for economic ties with Russia due to owning one of the main gas pipes from Russia to Europe (EUstream).

Featured image supplied