Gazprom again limits gas supply to Far Eastern energy companies
MOSCOW. Nov 19 (Interfax) - Gazprom Mezhregiongaz Novosibirsk has again restricted supply of gas to Far Eastern Generating Company's power assets, RAO ES of the East told Interfax.
"The genco received a telephoned dispatch from Gazprom Mezhregiongaz Novosibirsk with a request to reduce gas consumption from 80,000 to 50,000 cubic meters an hour because part of the Khabarovsk-Vladivostok gas pipeline (1,575 kilometers, runs along with the Vladivostok gas distribution station) has frozen. The message said that further restrictions could be made since it is necessary to prepare for transfer of equipment to reserve fuel," a company spokesperson said.
Furthermore, gas supply to Russky Island was been entirely halted. As a result, Far Eastern Generating Company was forced to transfer machinery at a mini-combined heat and power plant to more expensive diesel fuel.
The Sakhalin-Khabarovsk-Vladivostok gas pipeline is valued at around $10 billion and was commissioned in September 2011. The pipeline's operations are regularly interrupted because of hydrate plugs. Interruptions in the pipeline's supply forces power companies to transfer to more costly heating fuel. Far Eastern Generating Company has already gone to court requesting restitution for excess heating fuel costs.
