Reference
This document was drafted by the Ministry of Energy in accordance with Federal Law No. 291-FZ of December 30, 2012 On Amending Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation in the Section Relating to the Regulation of Tariffs in Electricity, Heat, Gas, and Water Distribution and Water Drainage,” amendments to Part 2 of Article 22 of the Federal Law On Electric Power, and Clause 24 of the Improving Access to the Utilities Infrastructure Action Plan (“roadmap”), as approved by Government Directive No. 1144-r of June 30, 2012.
The document amends the following regulatory acts:
- Standards regulating information disclosure by electricity wholesalers and retailers, as approved by Government Resolution No. 24 of January, 21, 2004;
- Rules for non-discriminatory access to electricity transmission services and for the rendering of these services, and rules for technical connections for the electric devices of electricity consumers, electricity generating facilities, as well as grid facilities owned by power grid operators and other individuals, as approved by Government Resolution No. 861 of December 27, 2004;
- Basic principles governing the function of retail electricity markets, as approved by Government Resolution No. 442 of May 4, 2012.
The changes provided for in the Resolution bind power grid operators to the responsibility to guarantee the observance of unified consumer service standards when rendering services to transmit electric power, effect technical connections or disclose information about the services (processes) provided to the consumer.
The authority to approve that unified service standards be observed by power grid operators in relation to consumers is vested in the Ministry of Energy. The document also provides for amending regulatory acts which, when amended, will guide power grid operators in observing the established standards.
In addition, the document sets a procedure for redistributing, at consumer request, the capacity maximum left unused by the consumer for the benefit of other individuals, including a procedure for the submission to the grid operator concerned of an application by electricity consumers to redistribute excess capacity, as well as the kind of information to be included in such an application.
The resolution obliges a power grid operator to accept the said application from the consumer, post it on its official website or on any other official website on the Internet, and to inform other individuals about the possibility of a capacity redistribution by consumers that have applied to a power grid operator with the intention of redistributing the excess capacity of their energy receiving devices for the benefit of other individuals. The document also defines the dates for the publication of the necessary information and for supplying the data to the individuals concerned.
The resolution aims to improve access to energy infrastructure by electricity consumers and improve the quality of service provided by the power grid operators.