Gazprom wants to disconnect customers who fail to switch to backup fuel
MOSCOW. July 18. (Interfax) - Gazprom wants the right to disconnect customers who fail to switch to backup fuel during extreme cold, as well as to set a specially calculated tariff on gas removal in excess of contract volumes during restrictive periods.
Gazprom Mezhregiongaz has announced a call for bids to develop draft amendments to Russian regulatory acts. Among other measures, it wants draft changes to the government-approved Gas Supply Rules, "in particular: the establishment of a payment coefficient for gas removed in excess of contracted volumes during the validity period of the schedule for switching to backup fuels during cold snaps or the emergency gas supply schedule; and the establishment of the supplier's right to reduce or terminate gas supplies to the buyer in case of failure to switch gas-powered equipment to backup fuels."
The practice of switching industrial customers to backup fuel during extreme cold is employed to maximize gas supplies to boilers, which are responsible for providing heat to housing facilities. Although restrictions are imposed almost every winter in Russia, last winter, during the election year, the country officially did not limit gas consumption. However, users were asked not to use more than the contracted amount, which means that they had to actively utilize backup fuel reserves during the abnormal cold. It turned out that not all energy companies - especially Gazprom Energoholding's combined heat and power plants (CHPP) - adhered to gas suppliers' recommendations.
Gazprom also wants to supplement Russia's Gas Supply Rules with regulations that make the Federal Ecological, Technological and Nuclear Oversight Agency (Rostekhnadzor) responsible for supervising the rational, efficient and safe use of gas. These same changes will also have to be made to the provision on Rostekhnadzor.
Gas users will be obligated to replenish 100% of backup fuel reserves, as well as to inform the authorized officials and Gazprom employees of the state of these reserves and give their inspectors clearance to monitor gas-powered equipment.
In addition, there are plans to craft draft amendments to the Russian administrative offenses code by establishing responsibility for failure to comply with the requirements for backup fuel holdings and equipment to be ready to run on backup fuel, as well as for failure to comply with the requirements to ensure the rational and efficient use of gas as a fuel.
The results of the contractor selection process should be summed up at the beginning of August. The price limit for the services is 1.1 million rubles.
