OREANDA-NEWS. October 11, 2012. Tyumen Regional Arbitration Court supported a decision of the Office of the Federal Antimonopoly Service in the Tyumen Region (Tyumen FAS Russia) to impose an administrative fine upon “Urals Heating Network Company” OJSC – 562,500 Rubles, reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

Earlier Tyumen FAS Russia was approached by “Matmassy” Homeowners Association, which reported that a resource-supplying organization - “Urals Heating Network Company” OJSC - had unreasonably refused to seal collective heat energy metering devices installed in residential apartment houses. “Urals Heating Network Company” OJSC did not allow to commission heat energy metering devices in the residential houses and did not accept the readings of the metering devices as the calculated readings on the grounds that the meters are faulty. At the same time, the company did not register the documents confirming that the metering units were faulty. According to the Rules for Heat Energy Accounting, such documents should include a full list of the exposed problems.

The Commission of Tyumen FAS Russia found that “Urals Heating Network Company” OJSC violated Part 1 Article 10 of the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition” (abusing market dominance) and imposed an administrative fine upon the company – 562,500 Rubles. The company violated the law by unreasonably avoiding to duly draw an act on refusing to accept heat energy metering devices.

“Urals Heating Network Company” OJSC disagreed with the decision of the antimonopoly body and filed a lawsuit to Tyumen Regional Arbitration Court.

The Court upheld the decision and the size of the fine imposed by Tyumen FAS Russia, confirming their legitimacy.