Belarus Without Russian Electricity :: Charter'97 :: News

Since February 1, 2004 Belarus stopped import of the electric power from Russia. As the internet-site of the daily “Gazeta” informs, it was done after the tariffs of the Russian joint-stock company “EES” increased by almost 30 per cent. Earlier Gazprom’s costs for the fuel rose, and after Minsk refused to buy fuel at the new costs the supply was cut off.

Officially the EES explained the raise by the decision of the Russian Federal energy Commission, which raised the cost for transportation of the electric power. And unofficially it was said that the holding is tired of “feeding Belarus at the prices of Russian market”.

It is supposed that Belarus is to compensate the electric power shortage by own facilities. However, it would be very difficult for Belarus to make up for the deficiency. The point is that Russia has already cut off gas pipe for Minsk, and gas amounts to 90 per cent of Belarusian energy balance.

Belarus is to use more expensive reserve fuel, for instance black oil, for production of larger volume of electric power. As a result the prime cost of the electric power production is to grow, and consequently the tariffs are to grow.

As it was informed before, Gazprom is ready to reduce prices if Minsk privatize company Beltransgas on conditions favorable to Gazprom. For now the country receives gas from independent suppliers, Russian companies Itera and Trans Nafta. It was supposed that this gas would be sufficient for Belarus till the end of the year 2004. However “Gazeta” asserts that the volume of 516 millions cubic meters under the contract will be sufficient for only 11 days.