Moscow, 1 February 2006. With outdoor temperatures falling again, energy conservation measures will be introduced in the Moscow Energy System between 5 pm and 8 pm tomorrow, 2 February. These measures are designed to prevent a power shortfall.

Electricity supply will be reduced, on a temporary basis, to some industrial consumers in Moscow and the Moscow Region, with prior notification given to each consumer concerned. The aggregate reductions will make up to 300 MW. The supply reduction schedules have been agreed with the Governments of Moscow and the Moscow Region, and the members of the Emergency Management Center for the coordination of actions in the Moscow energy system during the extremely cold period.

The energy conservation measures will be imposed pursuant to Resolution of the Russian Government* No. 664, and are designed to prevent power outages that may be caused by equipment overload. The temporary restrictions of power supply to industrial facilities during energy consumption peaks are necessary to ensure stable power supply to households, medical institutions, the capital city and region's vital infrastructure, and buildings of state authorities, security agencies, and military units.

Taking into account the supply restrictions, the Moscow RDA dispatchers anticipate a power consumption of up to 15,900 MW in the Moscow Energy System during the evening peak load tomorrow.

All power plants, grid and dispatching facilities in the Moscow energy system will operate in an "enhanced" mode.

The Emergency Management Center to coordinate the actions taken in the Moscow Energy System during the period of extreme cold will work in an information exchange mode.

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* Deliveries of power to consumers will be reduced to the lowest possible level of consumption required for a consumer to safely complete a technological process, with advance notice given to each consumer concerned. These measures, taken pursuant to Resolution of the Russian Government No. 664 of 1999, were designed to prevent power outages. The temporary restrictions of power supply to industrial consumers were necessary to ensure stable power supply to households, medical institutions, the city's vital infrastructure, and buildings of state authorities and security agencies.

The energy companies submitted for approval by the Fuel and Energy Department of the Moscow City and Moscow Region a list of consumers to which electricity supply would be reduced during a period of peak load in the energy system caused by prolonged low temperatures. Such consumers primarily include auxiliary facilities of industrial enterprises. The following consumers were not included in the above list: social buildings and facilities, buildings of the state authorities, medical institutions, military units, facilities of the Ministry of the Interior, Federal Security Service, nuclear centers, underground railways ("metro"), etc.