OREANDA-NEWS. September 24, 2008. As a part of Gazprom’s delegation business trip to Salekhard, Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Company’s Management Committee and Yury Neyolov, Governor of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug (YaNAO) signed an Agreement of Cooperation for 2009.

The Agreement contemplates cooperation between the parties in a wide range of issues including the top priorities as follows: 
• gasification of the region;
• utilization of modern renewable electricity sources;
• introduction of distributed energy sources and environmentally friendly technologies for gas supply facilities;
• wider use of natural gas as a vehicle fuel;
• conversion of gas fired boiler houses to the cogeneration regime;
• utilization of low pressure and associated petroleum gas as a fuel during the construction of new power plants.

In 2009 Gazprom will keep constructing facilities as part of the Gas Pipeline Branch to Salekhard, Labytnangi and Kharp investment project as well as will start executing the Gas Pipeline to Urengoy project.

The parties will continue the work aimed at stimulating their investment, R&D and innovation activities and implementing highly effective joint projects in YaNAO. The interaction will continue within the Comprehensive Development Program for Yamal Peninsula Onshore and Offshore Fields.

The YaNAO authorities will assist Gazprom’s subsidiaries operating on the territory of the region in solving right-of-way related issues, agreeing on design and estimate documentation, performing design & survey and construction work.

The Agreement is also targeted at promoting cooperation in the energy saving, capital construction, transportation areas, tax and social policy.

In 2009 the parties will continue transferring the ownership of household and welfare facilities owned by Gazprom’s subsidiaries to regional municipalities. When operating its facilities on the YaNAO territory, Gazprom will prioritize recruiting local qualified labor force including representatives of the indigenous minorities.