
Russian Deputy Prime Minister
Alexander Novak took part in a meeting of the Russian State Council’s Energy
Commission that was held on the sidelines of the Russian Energy Week
International Forum to examine ways to enhance the reliability and efficiency of
the country’s power grid. The meeting was chaired by Chairman of the State
Council’s Energy Commission and Head of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) Aysen
Nikolayev and was also attended by Russian Presidential Aide and State Council
Secretary Alexey Dyumin, Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation Sergey
Tsivilev, the heads of several Russian regions, as well as representatives of
the federal and regional authorities, businesses, and industry associations.
The meeting participants discussed
how to enhance the reliability and efficiency of the power grid, modernize
electric power facilities, and improve tariff regulation in the electric power
industry.
Dyumin noted just how crucial it is
to prevent power supply disruptions in the regions. He also commented on the
creation of systemically important regional grid companies that should become
single centres of responsibility for reliable power transmission to consumers
starting next year.
“It’s important for the Ministry of
Energy to work with each region and resolve all problematic issues. And the
role of the State Council’s Energy Commission is to be a platform where the
federal authorities, along with governors, promptly discuss and resolve
pressing issues. I know that the commission has previously been very active in
defending the interests of the regions. I am certain that in its new members
will continue to work effectively for the benefit of our citizens,” Dyumin
said.
Novak outlined the key objectives
for ensuring the stable operation of the Russian power grid sector.
“Given the rapidly growing needs of
our country’s economy, the government’s primary job is to ensure reliable and
high-quality energy supply to consumers in each region. To this end,
infrastructure is being modernized and new modern facilities are being built.
Our plans include preparing a programme to improve reliability for the regions
and supporting the development of a unified energy system. We will solve the
problem of uniting the energy systems of the East and Siberia and bolstering the
connection of the energy systems of Siberia and the Urals. It’s essential to
pay attention to tariff decisions, which must be balanced, and to ensure the
federal government’s close interaction with regional leaders and energy
companies. This is all crucial to ensuring reliable energy supplies to the
economy and consumers and achieving the national goals set by the Russian
president,” Novak said.
Nikolayev noted that the power grid
reforms should take into account the specifics of each region. “When consolidating
the grid, we will all need to come up with solutions that maintain a balance of
interests of all parties,” he said.
At the meeting, the federal
authorities were instructed to work on proposals to improve the legal
regulation of the electric power industry and to develop the energy
infrastructure of the regions.
Source: website of the Russian government