OREANDA-NEWS. On April 24, 2007 Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee and Vyacheslav Pozgalev, Governor of the Vologda Oblast sealed at the Gazprom Headquarters a Cooperation Accord between the Vologda Oblast Government and Gazprom for 2007 and 2008, reported the press-centre of  Gazprom. The Accord was signed within the scope of the existing Cooperation Agreement. Under the Accord, the parties confirmed their mutual interest in constructing the Northern Tyumen Oblast - Torzhok and Gryazovets – Vyborg gas pipelines as well as in expanding a system of gas trunklines within the Yamal project.


The Accord contemplates implementing a range of programs and projects in the region over 2007 through 2008, including a regional gasification program. Gazprom will participate in projects and programs set out in the Accord based on the pay back principle. When drafting annual budgets the Vologda regional authorities will allocate funds to fully pay for gas deliveries to budget-sponsored companies. The regional budget will also earmark finance to offset natural gas payments by privileged consumers subject to eligibility under the Russian Federation law. The regional authorities will assist Gazprom in fully settling gas accounts with consumers, will continue providing the population with gas metering devices and will contribute to timely setting economically sound gas consumption standards in the absence of meters. On its part, Gazprom will secure natural gas supply to the population and budget-sponsored customers with due regard of available capacity in the Unified Gas Supply System and allocated gas quotas throughout Russia provided gas deliveries are paid up in full. Gazprom will also continue geological prospecting on the regional territory so as to construct an underground gas storage facility.