Russian Grids dismisses possible Sistema proposal to manage IDGC Center assets
PYATIGORSK. Aug 19 (Interfax) - Russian Grids has not received a proposal to put the assets of its subsidiary interregional distribution grid company IDGC Center under the management of conglomerate Sistema JSFC , Russian Grids CEO Oleg Budargin said at the Mashuk-2016 forum.
"I think that there's a different meaning to these proposals. They weren't made to us. No decisions have been made and we regard this as just, well, making a statement just that, well, they exist," Budargin told reporters when asked if a decision had been made on a proposal from Sistema chairman and principal owner Vladimir Yevtushenkov to put IDGC Center's assets under the management of Sistema companies.
"But we have a different position. We are a state company and believe that since electricity is regulated by the state, it means this is a state function, and management and operation should be in the same hands," Budargin said.
Handing over individual "tasty" parts of the electric power supply to someone else would not be the right thing to do, he said.
"We don't need to make the mistakes that our predecessors made. On the contrary, the country's objective is to unify the power grid complex in a single pair of hands. There should be one responsible for this process," Budargin said.
He said all regions are cooperating with the company in regard to consolidation of power grids.
"We're creating a unified grid company, consolidating all grids, and tackling this challenge. There are many abandoned, nonworking grids in the country. We are now working on this problem here as well, in the Caucasus, doing a lot of work on consolidation of grids," Budargin said.
In Ingushetia, a protocol is being signed under which grids that are not part of Russian Grids are being put under its management. Work in this area is also being done in Kabardino-Balkaria and North Ossetia.
A source familiar with the situation told Interfax earlier that Yevtushenkov asked the government to put IDGC Center assets under the management of Sistema companies. The Energy Ministry confirmed receiving such a proposal. Sistema is not commenting on this information.
Rambler News Service reported that Yevtushenkov's letter talks about putting IDGC Center assets under the management of Bashkir Power Grid Company.
There are currently no grounds for handing over management of any Russian Grids subsidiary, the state company said. This contradicts the strategy for the development of the power grid sector, which is aimed at consolidating power grids, the company said.
The Economic Development Ministry has not received any instructions from the government, but "has always supported attracting private investors to Russian Grids subsidiaries in accordance with the strategy for the development of Russia's power grid sector," a ministry spokesman told Interfax.