OREANDA-NEWS. On 20 August 2008 was announced, that the top managers and heads of subsidiaries of  JSC "Interregional Distribution Grid Company of Centre", representatives of executive bodies of RF constituent entities and heads of regional regulating bodies of eleven areas of IDGC of Centre's footprint will take part in the meeting.

On the agenda: summarising of the activity of IDGC of Centre  operating company in the second quarter and half year of 2008 and definition of priorities in the second half of the current year. Collective preparation of IDGC subsidiaries and authorities for the winter will be one of the key issues if the agenda.

According to the results of the second quarter and the first half of the year 2008, IDGC of Centre has executed all key performance indicators.

This year the summer repair campaign is being performed at a very high level.

The general costs for repair in the first half of the year equalled 433.44m roubles, including costs in the second quarter in the amount of 276. 94m roubles. In total, in 2008 IDGC of Centre will spend on repairs over 1bn 270m roubles. As compared to the last year, all costs will increase by 20 %.

IDGC of Centre was one of the first RF grid companies to apply the facilities complex repair system that assumes not  one-time 'patching up of old holes' but repair, preventive maintenance, modernisation and reequipment of the whole power facility, whether it is a substation, a transformer point or an overhead line. Application of this method will allow to lower considerably the costs of material resources, increase the quality of work and increase the productivity and efficiency of the repair personnel. The complex repair system has been implemented in all IDGC of Centre, JSC subsidiaries. As in the last year, the company plans to receive the certificate of preparation for winter in time, without any remarks or coordinated decisions.

Large-scale investments directed, first of all, at the electric networks capacity growth and operational reliability growth became the main factor of successful passing of the autumn and winter. This year, as well as the year 2007, became an investment breakthrough. Within the six months of 2008, IDGC of Centre, JSC invested 2bn 669m roubles in construction and reconstruction of power facilities. The sum exceeds by 20% the planned sum. In the first half of the year 2008, IDGC of Centre launched 910.5 km of electric mains (i.e., 113.6 % of the planned amount), with a transformer capacity of 70.6 MVA (204.7 % of  the planned amount). In the third quarter, IDGC of Centre, JSC plans to spend over 1bn 876m roubles.

The investment breakthrough became possible due to performance of the Agreements concluded between the administrations of RF constituent entities and IDGC of Centre. The agreements provide transfer of ownerless or municipal networks to IDGC or their lease or other forms of joint managing. IDGC of Centre initiated signing of the agreements, because almost all regions suffered from a difficult situation of the use and maintenance of electric networks owned by municipal entities. The technical condition of the electric networks owned by municipalities appears to be extremely unsatisfactory. The municipalities do not have money for maintenance and development of the grid infrastructure; there are no properly equipped specialised departments that have the right to maintain, use and repair electric networks and substations, and there is no highly skilled and trained personnel.

The transfer of municipal networks into the ownership of IDGC of Centre will help to improve the financial condition of municipal entities, will provide a reliable electric power supply of consumers of the region, especially of the population and the social sphere and will lower considerably the electric power losses.

Another important project that IDGC of Centre is performing together with the municipal and regional authorities is the System of Complex Customer Service. One of its key points is opening of Customer Service Centres in all regions serviced by IDGC of Centre; the Centres are represented by municipal companies,   financial settlements centres and municipal unitary entities.  This  allows to solve all issues of power supply at the same time. Performance on the spot of the System of Complex Customer Service became a worthy example of joint fruitful work of IDGC, municipal authorities, urban municipal services and enterprises.

The board in Belgorod will also discuss other projects and topmost tasks on effective interaction with the authorities. In particular, issues of the tariff regulation system development with the use of the method of return on the invested capital (RAB) will be thoroughly discussed. IDGC of Centre subsidiaries - "Belgorodenergo" and "Tverenergo" - became RAB implementation test points. The meeting participants will also consider the advantages of integration of the regional grid economy, the important role of establishment of electric power supply safety maintenance staff and their role in the management of the grid complex of the region.

"According to the results of the board, we'll have to shortlist the topmost projects. It will help us to build up positive relations between IDGC and the authorities and cooperate with them effectively in the matters of  territorial development, prospects of the regional grid complex development and preparation to the autumn and winter," said  General Director of IDGC of Centre, JSC  Evgeny Makarov.