Hotline of power engineering specialists:
IDGC of Centre is actively working with regional governments in its activities on the organization of joint regional commissions to monitor the situation with payments for electricity and transmission services to companies of the electricity sector. This initiative was made by the Group of Companies "Russian Grids", whose leadership sent a letter to heads of 68 subjects of the federation, where its subsidiaries operate. Most regions supported the initiative of "Russian Grids". It is proposed to include into the commissions representatives of authorities, financial monitoring service, tax service, law enforcement agencies, retail companies and consumers, who during weekly meetings will assess the current situation of mutual settlements for the electricity supply and transmission services. It is planned that the newly created agencies will be able to make timely and operational solutions to improve payment discipline and avoid negative consequences.
The urgency of this proposal is dictated by the projected deterioration of payment discipline of electricity customers and transmission services due to the current macroeconomic situation. Levels of debt are increasing, and it is a concern because it can have a negative impact on the quality and reliability of electricity supply. So, as of December 1, 2014 the amount of accrued receivables of consumers to IDGC of Centre for electricity transmission services provided is 20.6 billion rubles (the growth from the beginning of the year - 30%), including debt of suppliers of last resort - 17.7 billion rubles. Arrears are 13.3 billion rubles, including arrears of suppliers of last resort - 11.7 billion rubles. In general, the Group of Companies "Russian Grids" as of December 1, 2014 has accrued receivables of consumers for electricity transmission services in the amount of 125.9 billion rubles (the growth from the beginning of the year - 24%), including debt of suppliers of last resort - 80.2 billion rubles. Arrears are 76.3 billion rubles, including arrears of suppliers of last resort - 40.9 billion rubles.
To date, all administrations of the regions, in which IDGC of Centre received confirmation towards the organization of commissions, are in process of agreeing a text of relevant provisions and their participants. In the Belgorod, Voronezh, Kursk, Orel, Smolensk regions, where the commission for the settlement of the consumption of electricity and its transmission services were created previously, it is expected to expand the agenda of issues under consideration and participants in accordance with the proposals of "Russian Grids". In the Bryansk region the commission was established by a decision of the regional authorities at the end of December 2014. The same is planned to be done in the Kostroma, Lipetsk, Tambov, Tver, and Yaroslavl regions, where issues of payments for energy resources are still considered in the framework of headquarters to ensure security of energy supply.
The creation of the regional commissions with the support of the heads of federal subjects will allow in the current economic conditions to improve the situation with the payment discipline, increase the financial sustainability of energy companies and co-ordinate the activities of all stakeholders. As a result, it will help strengthen the basis for further ensuring the smooth and reliable operation and development of power industry enterprises, their priority development, creation of conditions for the realization of social and economic potential of the regions.