Moscow, 15 April 2005. Today, RAO "UES of Russia" and the regional energos are to determine the results of the All-Russian Golden Tower Awards Competition among electricity consumers. The Competition has been organized with the support of the Ministry of Industry and Energy of the Russian Federation.

The Competition is taking place in all constituent entities of the Russian Federation. In each region, 12 companies will be selected from among industrial, state-financed, agricultural enterprises and small businesses. The winners are to meet the following criteria based on the year 2004 results and the results of the autumn/winter peak load operation:

• strict and full compliance with the terms and conditions of electricity supply agreements, i.e. absence of debts (unpaid electricity bills), steady, regular, and full payment of electricity delivered to them;
• compliance with the electricity consumption modes established by the energy company;
• involvement in the measures to reduce load in an environment characterized by energy and capacity shortfalls; installation of computerized electricity control and metering systems
• compensation of reactive power and capacity, use of schedules for switching off compensation units
• introduction of new energy efficient technologies
• use of advanced systems for metering and controlling energy consumption
• lack of accidents and failures at regional energos for which consumers are responsible

All laureates of the competition will receive diplomas "Best Consumer 2004" signed by Anatoly Chubais, Chairman of the Management Board of RAO "UES of Russia", and the Director General of the regional energo concerned. Each region's top four companies will receive an exclusive statuette, "Golden Tower", which symbolizes that the best consumers are the basis for the economy of the country and its regions.

Anatoly Chubais said, "The Competition laureates are not just enterprises that fully and timely perform their contractual obligations to energy companies. They are our reliable partners in developing the economy of the region and the whole country".

In his greeting letter, the Minister of Industry and Energy of Russia Victor Khristenko stated, "the energy sector is one of the most high-tech industries and a driver of Russia's economic development. Stable operation of the energy industry is a key factor guaranteeing the development of all sectors of industry.

Over the past few years, consumers have become more responsible in their efforts to optimize electricity consumption. New energy efficient technologies are being used at an increasing rate. All this makes it possible to more fully utilize the production and economic potential and gives a boost to further development of high-tech production in Russia."

The results of the competition and grant of awards to the winners will be published on RAO UES website on 18 April 2005.

The Golden Tower Awards Competition will be held on an annual basis.