Today, at Gazprom’s Headquarters, Alexey Miller, Gazprom’s Management Committee Chairman, held a working meeting with Vasily Starodubtsev, Governor of the Tula Region.

The parties discussed gas deliveries to the Tula Region, debt redemption rates for the gas supplied and land grants to construct facilities for the Gazprom Group of companies.

The parties underlined high debt redemption rates on the part of the Region’s consumers as well as positively evaluated joint activities aimed to develop the Tula Region’s gas supply system.

Reference:

In 1999 Gazprom and the Tula Region’s authorities concluded the Cooperation Agreement. While implementing the Agreement, the parties contributed to diminishing the Regional consumers’ indebtedness for the gas supplied from over RUR 3.3 billion (as of January 1, 1999) down to RUR 147.2 million (as of January 1, 2004). In 2003 payments for current gas deliveries accounted for 102.9% or RUR 340.6 million.

Last year Gazprom delivered some 8 bcm of gas to the Tula Region’s consumers, to be, likely, built up to over 8.6 bcm this year.

Gazprom has not allocated funds to develop the Tula Region’s gas supply system, until 2002. In 2002-2003, under the Program on gas deliveries to the RF regions, the Company channeled RUR 150 million to develop the Tula Region’s gas supply system, which is 77.2% (2.2% up on previous years) against Russia-averaged of 52.7%. This year, Gazprom plans to allocate for this purpose over RUR 72 million.

DIVISION OF RELATIONS WITH MASS MEDIA