The Gazprom Headquarters today hosted a working meeting between Alexander Ananenkov, Deputy Chairman of the Company’s Management Committee and Andrey Yarin, Chairman of the Government of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic.

The parties discussed the progress with the implementation of the Agreement of Cooperation between Gazprom and the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic.

A special focus was put on the need of settling the debt for natural gas supplied to Kabardino-Balkarian consumers. It was mentioned that transferring gas distribution pipelines owned by the Republican Government to Gazprom could be an option for clearing the arrears accumulated over the past years.

Reference:

The Agreement of Cooperation between Gazprom and the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic was inked on March 25, 2008 for an indefinite term.

In 2007 natural gas supplies to the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic reached almost 1.5 bcm. Planned supplies for the current year exceed 1.3 bcm.

Natural gas penetration in the Republic averages 90.3 per cent, including 93.9 per cent in cities & towns and 82.6 per cent in rural areas(the same Russia-averaged figures make up 62, 67 and 44 per cent respectively).

Consumer debts as at April 1, 2008 were close to RUR 3.1 bln, with the bulk owed by households and utilities.