Moscow, 26 April 2007. On 19-20 April 2007, the First Open All-Russia Conference of Managers of Energy Retail Companies and Strategic Investors was held in Sochi. The event was organized by RAO "UES of Russia" and Not-for-profit Partnership of Guarantee Suppliers and Energy Retail Companies (NP GP and ERCs).

The Conference was attended by representatives from 108 energy retail companies operating in Russia. The ERCs, participating in the Conference account for 92% of Russia's electricity retail market. Their total electricity sales are in excess of 70 billion kWh, with the revenue at over RUB800 billion.

The meeting participants heard reports on various aspects of development and cooperation of companies on the wholesale and retail electricity markets and discussed regulatory issues of activities of guarantee suppliers and energy retail companies, as well as strategies used by investors in energy retail business.

The participants highlighted the need to create a market infrastructure and strengthen the role and influence of the professional community of the energy retail companies. The meeting approved the principles of operation of NP GP and ERCs, its key goals and the following areas of activities:

• to promote the creation of a competitive retail market for electricity in the Russian Federation;
• to represent and safeguard the interests, on a parity basis, of all retail electricity market participants that are members of NP GP and ERCs;
• to produce proposals on energy retailing to be incorporated into the rules regulating relationships on the electricity market;
• to create regulations governing the activities of NP GP and ERCs.