OREANDA-NEWS. February 21, 2012. The Office of the Federal Antimonopoly Service in the Republic of Karelia (Karelia OFAS Russia) fined “Gazprom Mezhregiongaz St Petersburg” CJSC 300,000 Rubles for abusing market dominance on the market of natural gas sales, reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

Earlier Karelia OFAS Russia found that “Gazprom Mezhregiongaz St Petersburg” CJSC violated Part 1 Article 10 of the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition”.

OFAS exposed the antimonopoly violation in February 2011: in the Republic of Karelia the gas company infringed the interest of consumers – non-commercial associations of members of the general public (Homeowners Associations, Housing-and-Construction Cooperatives), whose houses are heated and supplied hot water from their own boiler-houses. In breach of the current legislation, in 2008 - 2010 payments for gas were made not according to the regulated tariffs for the general public but according to the wholesale prices for legal entities, which ultimately resulted in the residents overpaying for the gas.

“Non-commercial associations of members of the general public, that use natural gas to heat residential houses through autonomous heating systems, should pay most close attention to the payment procedures with a gas-supplying organization for the natural gas. And if necessary ask the antimonopoly body to help”, commented the case the Head of the Department for Control over Economic Entities of Karelia OFAS Russia, Nina Shvets.