The switch strikes the ruble:


Dmitry DOKUCHAEV Photo by Sergei ZONICHEV
Electricity prices are rising again Before the applause had died down, Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Khristenko spoke about the impending energy crisis, and Anatoly Chubais spoke about the beginning of rolling blackouts in the country. The head of RAO UES places responsibility for plunging a number of regions into darkness onto Gazprom, which left power engineers without gas. A whole series of meetings are taking place in the government, culminating in a meeting of the leaders of the conflicting monopolies - Chubais and Vyakhirev - in Putin's office. What is happening with the “main switch of the country” - Yakov URINSON, Deputy Chairman of RAO UES of Russia, tells OG about this. Yakov Moiseevich, what caused the increase in electricity prices for consumers? Of course, our electricity prices are greatly reduced. At the same time, the population is the most conscientious client: for the most part, they pay on time and with “real money”. But then the population’s money goes to intermediaries - all kinds of municipal and utility organizations, which “circulate” it and transfer it to us, RAO UES, incompletely and with delays. In addition, by lowering the tariff for the population, we simultaneously increase it for industrial enterprises. It is believed that this is being done in the interests of the population itself. Complete stupidity! After all, this benefit - a low tariff - is received by everyone: both low-paid and high-paid. Moreover, the rich receive it to a greater extent: it is obvious that they use a large number of electrical appliances. Well, increasing tariffs for industry often makes its products more expensive and, accordingly, uncompetitive. As a result, production falls and jobs are cut. Which affects the interests of the same population. What do you offer? Our position on this issue is clear: everyone should pay for electricity at real prices. At the same time, low-paid citizens need to be subsidized. That is, the state must contribute part of the money for electricity. In many regions of the country such a system has already been introduced. What caused the emergence of the RAO UES restructuring program? In recent years, electricity prices have been artificially restrained by the state. The average price of one kilowatt-hour in Russia is less than a cent, while in Europe it ranges from 3.5 to 7 cents. As a result, the industry is catastrophically short of funds to update fixed assets. Since energy is supplied to consumers at reduced prices, they stop saving it. Therefore, our industry is absolutely not involved in the introduction of energy-saving technologies, to which the whole world switched back in 1973. And one more problem: terrible non-payments. The army, healthcare, education, the entire budgetary sector, at best, pays for 30-35 percent of what they consume. As a result, Russia, a great energy power possessing gigantic reserves of natural resources, began to lose its potential before our eyes. Today's capacities still allow us to export 30 billion “free” kilowatt-hours per year. But if this continues, we will soon turn into an energy-starved country. What do you see as a way out of this situation? The solution is in private investment, without which we will simply lose the energy sector as an industry. We have a calculation according to which, in order to survive in the next 10 years, we need to invest at least $50 billion in capital investments, and this is without new large construction projects. For comparison: all capital investments, both public and private, in 1999 amounted to 30 billion rubles, that is, about a billion dollars. To sharply increase this figure, private investment is required. But a private investor will never come to an industry regulated by an official who, for “social” reasons, arbitrarily sets prices or allows not to pay for services. And how do you propose to attract investors? The recipe is well known: the industry must be attractive for investment. That is, market, competitive mechanisms must work in it. To do this, we propose to separate the production (generation) and sale of electricity from its transportation. In transportation, competition is inappropriate - do not lay several “alternative” transmission lines between populated areas. Here the price will be set by the state. And the price for generation will be determined by the market, and various stations - hydro-nuclear and others - will compete with each other. Whoever offers the lowest price will buy energy from him. In the future, in 10 years, we want to reach a state where RAO UES will turn into a network company that will deal exclusively with electricity transportation and dispatching. Everything else - energy generation, sales, repairs, research and development - will fall within the scope of the competitive market. It is precisely this ideology of restructuring the company that was adopted at the recent board of directors in the Kremlin. What is the essence of the conflict between RAO UES and Gazprom? This is where the long-standing problems of our economy come into play. The energy sector cannot work without gas. The gas component in the country's energy balance is 60 percent. And gas is sold on the domestic market 7 times cheaper than on the world market. In addition, energy workers are not paid by public sector employees, and energy workers, accordingly, do not pay gas workers. So Gazprom took it and in early April announced a unilateral reduction in gas supplies for energy needs: in 2000 - by 11 billion cubic meters, in 2001 - by 36, in 2002 - by 67, while maintaining all its export obligations. But is it possible to immediately cut through the tangle of problems and contradictions that have accumulated over decades? If Gazprom cuts off gas supplies in one day, it means we will be forced to either raise the price of electricity five times or turn off consumers en masse. Fortunately, this time the threat of “rolling” blackouts did not materialize, since Chubais and Vyakhirev agreed in Putin’s office that, firstly, all steps would be coordinated, and secondly, they would be gradual and not spasmodic. Yakov Moiseevich, your patron Anatoly Chubais and you are periodically named among candidates for high positions in the new government. What do you think about this? I can say on my own behalf, and, I believe, on behalf of Chubais, that we are not going to go to work for the government. Regarding me, a similar rumor arose about two months ago, when we met with Putin. We have known each other for quite a long time, and I have great respect for Vladimir Vladimirovich. I believe that he, too, was interested in some of my opinions about general economic problems. But I responsibly declare that he did not make me any proposals to join the government. As far as I know, Chubais too. Both Anatoly Borisovich and I are extremely interested in working here - in the largest energy company, on which the country's economy largely depends. Electricity prices are rising again From MAY 1, electricity prices will increase by 35 percent. This decision, which affected the interests of all electricity users, was preceded by a whole series of high-profile events related to the domestic energy giant - RAO UES of Russia. Let us recall the chronicle of recent weeks. First, the Kremlin adopts the restructuring program of RAO UES with fanfare. FROM MAY 1, electricity prices will increase by 35 percent. This decision, which affected the interests of all electricity users, was preceded by a whole series of high-profile events related to the domestic energy giant - RAO UES of Russia. Let us recall the chronicle of recent weeks. First, the Kremlin adopts the restructuring program of RAO UES with fanfare.

Before the applause had died down, Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Khristenko spoke about the impending energy crisis, and Anatoly Chubais spoke about the beginning of rolling blackouts in the country. The head of RAO UES places responsibility for plunging a number of regions into darkness onto Gazprom, which left power engineers without gas. A whole series of meetings are taking place in the government, culminating in a meeting of the leaders of the conflicting monopolies - Chubais and Vyakhirev - in Putin's office.

What is happening with the “main switch of the country” - Yakov URINSON, Deputy Chairman of RAO UES of Russia, tells OG about this.

Yakov Moiseevich, what caused the increase in electricity prices for consumers?

Of course, our electricity prices are greatly reduced. At the same time, the population is the most conscientious client: for the most part, they pay on time and with “real money”. But then the population’s money goes to intermediaries - all kinds of municipal and utility organizations, which “circulate” it and transfer it to us, RAO UES, incompletely and with delays.

In addition, by lowering the tariff for the population, we simultaneously increase it for industrial enterprises. It is believed that this is being done in the interests of the population itself. Complete stupidity! After all, this benefit - a low tariff - is received by everyone: both low-paid and high-paid. Moreover, the rich receive it to a greater extent: it is obvious that they use a large number of electrical appliances. Well, increasing tariffs for industry often makes its products more expensive and, accordingly, uncompetitive. As a result, production falls and jobs are cut. Which affects the interests of the same population.

What do you offer?

Our position on this issue is clear: everyone should pay for electricity at real prices. At the same time, low-paid citizens need to be subsidized. That is, the state must contribute part of the money for electricity. In many regions of the country such a system has already been introduced.

What caused the emergence of the RAO UES restructuring program?

In recent years, electricity prices have been artificially restrained by the state. The average price of one kilowatt-hour in Russia is less than a cent, while in Europe it ranges from 3.5 to 7 cents. As a result, the industry is catastrophically short of funds to update fixed assets. Since energy is supplied to consumers at reduced prices, they stop saving it. Therefore, our industry is absolutely not involved in the introduction of energy-saving technologies, to which the whole world switched back in 1973. And one more problem: terrible non-payments. The army, healthcare, education, the entire budgetary sector, at best, pays for 30-35 percent of what they consume.

As a result, Russia, a great energy power possessing gigantic reserves of natural resources, began to lose its potential before our eyes. Today's capacities still allow us to export 30 billion “free” kilowatt-hours per year. But if this continues, we will soon turn into an energy-starved country.

What do you see as a way out of this situation?

The solution is in private investment, without which we will simply lose the energy sector as an industry. We have a calculation according to which, in order to survive in the next 10 years, we need to invest at least $50 billion in capital investments, and this is without new large construction projects. For comparison: all capital investments, both public and private, in 1999 amounted to 30 billion rubles, that is, about a billion dollars. To sharply increase this figure, private investment is required. But a private investor will never come to an industry regulated by an official who, for “social” reasons, arbitrarily sets prices or allows not to pay for services.

And how do you propose to attract investors?

The recipe is well known: the industry must be attractive for investment. That is, market, competitive mechanisms must work in it. To do this, we propose to separate the production (generation) and sale of electricity from its transportation. In transportation, competition is inappropriate - do not lay several “alternative” transmission lines between populated areas. Here the price will be set by the state. And the price for generation will be determined by the market, and various stations - hydro-nuclear and others - will compete with each other. Whoever offers the lowest price will buy energy from him.

In the future, in 10 years, we want to reach a state where RAO UES will turn into a network company that will deal exclusively with electricity transportation and dispatching. Everything else - energy generation, sales, repairs, research and development - will fall within the scope of the competitive market. It is precisely this ideology of restructuring the company that was adopted at the recent board of directors in the Kremlin.

What is the essence of the conflict between RAO UES and Gazprom?

This is where the long-standing problems of our economy come into play. The energy sector cannot work without gas. The gas component in the country's energy balance is 60 percent. And gas is sold on the domestic market 7 times cheaper than on the world market. In addition, energy workers are not paid by public sector employees, and energy workers, accordingly, do not pay gas workers. So Gazprom took it and in early April announced a unilateral reduction in gas supplies for energy needs: in 2000 - by 11 billion cubic meters, in 2001 - by 36, in 2002 - by 67, while maintaining all its export obligations. But is it possible to immediately cut through the tangle of problems and contradictions that have accumulated over decades? If Gazprom cuts off gas supplies in one day, it means we will be forced to either raise the price of electricity five times or turn off consumers en masse. Fortunately, this time the threat of “rolling” blackouts did not materialize, since Chubais and Vyakhirev agreed in Putin’s office that, firstly, all steps would be coordinated, and secondly, they would be gradual and not spasmodic.

Yakov Moiseevich, your patron Anatoly Chubais and you are periodically named among candidates for high positions in the new government. What do you think about this?

I can say on my own behalf, and, I believe, on behalf of Chubais, that we are not going to go to work for the government. Regarding me, a similar rumor arose about two months ago, when we met with Putin. We have known each other for quite a long time, and I have great respect for Vladimir Vladimirovich. I believe that he, too, was interested in some of my opinions about general economic problems. But I responsibly declare that he did not make me any proposals to join the government. As far as I know, Chubais too. Both Anatoly Borisovich and I are extremely interested in working here - in the largest energy company, on which the country's economy largely depends.

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