Anatoly Chubais is a great master of generating intrigue. On Monday, he set another task for his opponents in the Duma, saying that he would not leave RAO UES of Russia on the promised date if deputies slowed down the discussion of key bills on the electricity sector.

Let us recall that by 2004, Anatoly Borisovich vowed to complete the reform of the industry and leave RAO. Chubais scares the Duma that if she wanders around, he will not keep his promise and will remain on the farm entrusted to him. And from the chair of the chairman of RAO it is very convenient to annoy deputies, accusing them of sabotaging reforms.

After such a threat, it must be assumed that the leaders of the Duma centrists, who asked the prime minister to postpone the discussion of the bills in the first reading from this week to a later date, will be more attentive to the needs of Chubais. His requests, as always, are grandiose. The head of RAO believes that over the next ten years the electric power industry needs investments worth $60 billion. Only this amount will save it from collapse. There is an urgent need to update the company's fixed assets, the level of depreciation of which exceeds 70 percent.

Investors are ready to help with money, but first they want to know the rules of the game, which should be determined by legislation. No one will take their word for promises that it will be possible to safely cut off defaulters without fear of the commander of a military unit, who in response may send machine gunners to storm the substation, or the governor or mayor, who may freeze tariffs. It is well known that high energy tariffs have a very bad effect on the popularity of the government.

The benefits of laws for investors are obvious. They should have a clear picture of tariff dynamics for many years to come. Otherwise, they will not be able to be sure that they will repay the loans. After all, companies wishing to invest in the Russian electric power industry do not have free money. In addition, current legislation makes it difficult for energy companies to attract investment loans directly. And now they have to stop investing in tariffs. And this affects consumer costs and inflation. It is clear that neither the government nor consumers like this. And they also need legal regulation of the electric power industry. The importance of new energy laws cannot be overestimated, since the old laws simply do not exist.

According to Deputy Head of the Ministry of Fuel and Energy Vladimir Milov, 90 percent of relations in the industry, primarily relations between industry entities and the state, are not regulated by law. “ We don’t have a single regulatory act, let alone a law, that would describe the principles of the dispatcher’s work and the obligation to carry out his commands ,” says Milov. The deputy head of the Ministry of Fuel and Energy hopes that the package of laws on the electric power industry will be adopted by the end of the year. Unless, of course, the Duma presents any surprises. So Chubais is trying to avoid them in advance.

As always, Anatoly Borisovich demonstrates the highest degree of arrogance, declaring that he is irreplaceable. He does not even think that he could be fired from RAO by the state, which owns a controlling stake in the holding. Of course, this is unlikely to happen - the reform is tied to Chubais. And modesty is not his virtue.

CHUBAIS BLACKMAILS DEPUTIES