OREANDA-NEWS. Gazeks, the first non-governmental gas distribution company (part of IES-Holding), and the Government of the Sverdlovsk Region intend to sign a co-operation agreement. Such arrangements were made on 7 August, 2007, at a meeting of Victor Koksharov, chairman of the Government of the Sverdlovsk Region, with the management of the Gazeks gas holding company: Andrei Pestov, head of the company, and Denis Pasler, director of the holding company's Yekaterinburg branch.

At the meeting it was noted that the Gazeks holding company ensures safe and uninterrupted gas supply to consumers in the Sverdlovsk Region, wherein it accounts for 56% of natural gas supply and 80% of liquefied gas supply. The company representatives discussed with Mr Koksharov prospects for establishing an integrated pipeline system for gas distribution which would make it possible to centralise the process of granting technical specifications for connection to the gas distribution system and optimise spending on further establishment of gas supply locally.

Messrs Koksharov, Pestov and Pasler also discussed prospects for amending the legislation as regards the gas market liberalisation and changing the pricing system for natural monopolies. The meeting participants considered the possibility to create conditions for development of competition in the market for natural gas, including gas distribution, and agreed to further co-operate to work out common principles for gas distribution development, as well as to realise nationwide trends in the Sverdlovsk Region. Mr Pestov confirmed that his company was ready to attract additional capital to establish gas supply in new areas in the region and develop gas distribution and heating systems.

"The practice of signing agreements of the company with the heads of Russian regions has already proven its efficiency for implementing programmes for the establishment of gas supply locally. In particular, territories such as the Novosibirsk Region and the Republic of Udmurtia can be referred to. The Region of Sverdlovsk is a territory where we conduct a productive dialogue with the authorities on achieving mutually advantageous arrangements," noted Mr Pestov. "Joint work not only allows us to efficiently solve problems related to gas consumption development in the region, but also will serve as a basis for industrial and socio-economic growth in the Sverdlovsk Region."