Moscow, 4 April 2007. According to operational updates, the RAO UES power plants generated 193.2 billion kWh of electricity in Q1 2007, down from 198.4 billion kWh in Q1 2006. In Q1 2007, energy consumption across Russia amounted to 268.9 billion kWh, down 0.9% yoy.

The decrease in energy consumption compared to Q1 2006 was due to the fact that in January-February 2006, the outdoor temperatures in most regions of Russia were extremely low. Because of that, RAO UES power plants had to increase electricity generation by 5.8 percent in the first three months of 2006 compared to January-March 2005.

On the other hand, January 2007 saw average temperatures as much as 8.9 degrees above the monthly norm; in January-February 2006, the temperatures were an average 12 degrees above the long-term average monthly temperatures for the time of the year. However, electricity consumption throughout Russia and output of RAO UES power plants in January-March 2007, despite their decrease compared to the same period last year, were significantly higher than the long-term averages for Q1.

Despite the warm weather during the period, the Ryazan Region, Chelyabinsk Region, Sverdlovsk Region and many other regions of Russia saw a continued increase in electricity consumption which required an appropriate increase in electricity output. Moreover, the electricity consumption in the Tyumen and Khakassia Energy Systems in 2006/2007 autumn-winter period exceeded the all-time high. The Q1 2007 output of RAO UES plants in these energy systems increased 6 percent and 3.3 percent, respectively, compared to Q1 2006.