OREANDA-NEWS. October 13, 2009. Analysis of technological connections provided by network organisations showed that it is crucial for the Government of the Russian Federation to approve standard forms of contracts for technological connections. For this reason, as well as for the purposes of enforcement of the "second antimonopoly package", FAS Russia (the Federal Antimonopoly Service) is working on the draft Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation on approval of standard forms of contracts for technological connections and standard contracts for providing services of electric power transmission, reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

FAS Russia discovered gross violations of the law, monitoring standard contracts for technological connection to electricity networks, which can be found at the web-sites of network companies.

For instance, the Antimonopoly Service has established that not all network companies place their standard contracts for technological connections at their Internet sites. And by doing this they violate the law on the Information Disclosing Standards for wholesale and retail markets of electric power.

In the near future FAS Russia will respond, within the terms of reference of the antimonopoly authority, to the elements of violations of the Information Disclosing Standards and the Rules for technological connections by the network organisations, which FAS Russia discovered monitoring information at the companies' Internet sites", says Vitaly Korolyov, the Head of the FAS Russia's Department for Control over Electric Power Industry. The "second antimonopoly package" introduced amendments to Part 3 Article 10 of the Law on "Protection of Competition", according to which the Government of the Russian Federation can establish substantive conditions and standard forms of the contracts for providing services of natural monopolies".

In the opinion of Mr. Korolyov, unified standards for network organisations providing technological connections, which are aimed at protection of consumer rights and observing the laws on electric power industry, can be ensured, in particular, by the Government of the Russian Federation approving the standard forms of тthe contracts for technological connection. On the one hand, it will help avoid numerous violations by natural monopolies related to the services of technological connection to electric networks; on the other, it will enable consumers of the services provided by natural monopolies to be more efficient in asserting their legitimate rights and interests.