OREANDA-NEWS. July 18, 2012.  “Gazenergoset - Nizhny Novgorod” Ltd. will pay a fine for playing games with prices on the market of liquefied hydrocarbon gas, reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

On 9th July 2012, the Office of the Federal Antimonopoly Service in Nizhny Novgorod (Nizhny Novgorod OFAS Russia) made a decision on an administrative case against “Gazenergoset - Nizhny Novgorod” Ltd. that the company had committed unlawful actions. The Antimonopoly Service fined the company over 700,000 Rubles (737,500 Rubles) under Part 1 Article 14.31 of the Code of the Russian Federation on Administrative Violations.

On 28th April 2012, the Commission of Nizhny Novgorod OFAS Russia found that “Gazenergoset - Nizhny Novgorod” Ltd. violated Clause 10 Part 1 Article 10 of the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition” in the part of breaching the pricing procedures, established by normative legal acts, for selling household liquefied hydrocarbon gas in 5-l bombs to the population.

Under No.1012 Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation “On State Regulation of Gas Prices and the Tariffs for Gas Transportation Services in the Russian Federation” of 29th December 2000 and No. 332 Decree “On the Measures for Harmonizing State Regulation of Gas Prices and the Raw Materials for its Production” of 15th April 1995, the prices for liquefied hydrocarbon gas, sold to the population for the household needs, are subject to state regulation and are set on the basis of techniques, approved by the Federal Tariff Services of the Russian Federation (wholesale prices) and executive bodies of the constituent territories of the Russian Federation.

In course of the antimonopoly investigation, Nizhny Novgorod OFAS Russia established that “Gazenergoset - Nizhny Novgorod” Ltd. dominated the market of retail sales of liquefied household gas in 5-l bombs to the population. Since 4th January 2010, the company has not applied prices, set by the Regional Tariff Service of the Nizhny Novgorod region for the product. For payments from the population, “Gazenergoset - Nizhny Novgorod” Ltd. fixed prices 2-3 times higher that the regulated prices.

The Commission of Nizhny Novgorod OFAS Russia found such actions unlawful and fined the company 737,500 Rubles.