Today, in Khabarovsk, Alexander Ananenkov, Deputy Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee and Nikolai Volkov, Governor of the Jewish Autonomous Oblast (AO) signed a five-year Gasification Accord.

The Accord stipulates developing and approving documents to further develop regional gas facilities, in particular:

• gasification investment project
• energy-saving program
• program for the conversion of motor vehicles and agricultural equipment to CNG & LNG.

The investment project will include, in particular, a general scheme of gas supply to and gasification of the region, a business plan for the gasification facilities construction, a feasibility and priority study for the construction of gas supply and distribution facilities, a program for the implementation of the modern gas utilization equipment aimed at improving the gas consumption efficiency, use of alternative gas supply sources, including CNG & LNG, and also proposals on the application of up-to-date technologies and distributed power generation.

Based on the gasification investment project the parties will work out a step-by-step program for the Jewish AO gasification, determine its funding sources and schemes. Joint participation of parties in the development and implementation of the gasification program will be arranged in the context of the Program on setting up an integrated gas production, transmission and supply system in Eastern Siberia and the Far East, taking into account potential gas exports to China and other Asia-Pacific countries.

A general developer of the gasification investment project, regional energy saving program and program for the conversion of transport to CNG & LNG will be chosen on a competitive basis.

The regional government will ensure that consumers are ready to accept gas, including through the construction of local gas pipelines and installation of individual gas meters.

Reference:

The Program on setting up an integrated gas production, transmission and supply system in Eastern Siberia and the Far East, taking into account potential gas exports to China and other Asia-Pacific countries was approved by the Order of the Russian Federation Industry and Energy Ministry on September 3, 2007. Gazprom was appointed by the Russian Federation Government as the Program execution coordinator.

The Agreement of cooperation between Gazprom and the Jewish AO was signed in March 2007. The Agreement identified the implementation of gasification projects as a major area of cooperation between Gazprom and the regional authorities.

The level of the Jewish AO gasification with liquefied natural gas makes up 75.6 per cent, including 82.5 per cent in cities and towns, and 60.9 per cent in rural areas. The main consumer is the population. the Jewish AO is not supplied with natural gas.