Discussion organized by “Business News Agency” and “Power and Industry of Russia” will take place on15 April in Petrozavodsk.

Roundtable conference on the subject “Crisis Effects in Regional Energy Sector” will take place on 15 April in Petrozavodsk. It is organized by informational agency “Business News Agency” together with specialized publication “Power and Industry Russia”.

Representatives of the Karelia Republic government, administrators of energy power companies and large-scale industrial enterprises of the region are invited to participate in discussion on regional energy problems.

Interest of Interregional Distribution Grid Company of North-West is conditioned by an analysis of republic energy market. According to data of the company’s specialists, consumption of electric power in Karelia in the forth quarter of 2008 reduced by 98 kW-h m, or by 5% as compared with similar period in 2007.

Decrease of consumption in January and February of 2009 is 21% and 24% respectively, as compared to consumption in 2008. The main reason for a fall in electric power consumption is reduction of production at large-scale industrial enterprises including JSC “Karelsky Okatysh” and JSC “Siberian-Ural Aluminium Company” (SUAL).

Annual amount of electric power supply at grids of “Karelenergo” (branch of “IDGC of North-West”) is forecasted to reduce by 9% compared with the level of the previous year and become 6,797.4 m kWh. It is lower than the balance level by 16.6%. Meanwhile, shortfall in income of “Karelenergo” in 2009 may be RUR 504 m.

Besides general decrease of energy power consumption since the January of this year, there is a problem of timely and full payment for the service of electric power transmission.  Guaranteeing suppliers of electric power – JSC “Electricity Sales Company” (Karelia) and JSC “Kondopoga” became debtors for settling with “Karelenergo”. Account payable of JSC “Electricity Sales Company” for services of electric power transmission at 1 April of the current year is RUR 557.5 m.

According to specialists of IDGC of North-West, the situation at the republican energy sector may negatively influence electric safety of the region and general social and economic standing. Problems appearing at the energy complex of the republic require deep detailed discussion by all interested parties to work out joint effective steps on exclusion of crisis appearance in regional energy sector.