OREANDA-NEWS.  September 12, 2012. The Arbitration Court of the Republic of Khakassia upheld the decision and determination of the Office of the Federal Antimonopoly Service in the Republic of Khakassia (Khakassia OFAS Russia) regarding “Abakan Heating Networks” Municipal Enterprise of Abakan, reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

During 2011 non-heating season, “Abakan Heating Networks” Municipal Enterprise allowed decreasing the temperature of supplied hot water to 40 and below on the boundary line with its customers, which deteriorated the quality of the utility services provided by managing companies.

At the meeting of the Commission of Khakassia OFAS Russia, representatives of “Abakan Heating Networks” Municipal Enterprise reported absence of a programme outlining measures towards executing contracts in the part of observing hot water parameters. “Abakan Heating Networks” also confirmed that such measures had never been devised.

The Commission of Khakassia OFAS Russia found that actions of “Abakan Heating Networks” Municipal Enterprise had signs of abusing market dominance and issued the following determination: to devise measures towards observing hot water parameters on the boundary line in the summer season at no less than 60, as well as to ensure supplying hot water to the customers in the non-heating season in according with the current law, valid contracts and an approved temperature chart.

“Abakan Heating Networks” Municipal Enterprise disagreed with the decision of Khakassia OFAS Russia, and filed a lawsuit to the Arbitration Court of the Republic of Khakassia to invalidate the decision and determination of the antimonopoly body. The Court, however, supported the position of Khakassia OFAS Russia.

“It is a long overdue necessary to carry out events regulating and adjusting the mainstream and intra-district heating supply networks to maintain temperature standards specified in normative documentation, and possibly reconstructing networks and installing hot-water-supply heating devices in the central heating outlets, or water-boilers with main-line pumps”, emphasized Deputy Head of Khakassia OFAS Russia, Olga Shirokova.