OREANDA-NEWS. March 15, 2013. Speaking at a workshop on the pressing issues of the antimonopoly policy organised as part of the extended Collegium, the Head of the Department of the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS Russia) on Control over Electric Power Industry, Vitaly Korolyov, pointed out at the following trend: “Analysis of statistical data for 2007 - 2012 shows increased number of antimonopoly violations exposed by the antimonopoly bodies on the markets of electric power and hearing power”.

“The most widespread type of violations is violating the antimonopoly law by network organizations when rendering services for technological connection to electric power networks and energy transmission services”, emphasized Vitaly Korolyov. For instance, violations of the Rules for non-discriminatory access to electric power networks constituted 30% of the overall number of violations of the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition” on the markets of electric power and heating power (in 2011 the figure was 40%).

Vitaly Korolyov discussed a new instrument of antimonopoly enforcement – warnings, which are aimed at eliminating the consequences of violations, as well as causes and conditions facilitating violations, without initiating antimonopoly cases. He said: “Statistical data about FAS issuing warnings in 2012 allows to state positive influence upon competition and efficiency of the institution of warnings”.

Vitaly Korolyov also said that in the near future the institute of warnings would be expanded to all violations specified in Articles 10 and 15 of the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition”.

Then he outlined several measures of the “Road Map” designed to increase accessibility of the energy infrastructure and the New Guidelines for determining the fee for technological connection to electric power networks.

Mr. Korolyov gave a detailed account of FAS efforts to control compliance of companies on the wholesale and retail energy markets with the Information Disclosure Standards. “Participants of the electric power markets must disclose information in accordance with the Information Disclosure Standards. Article 9.15 of the Code of the Russian Federation on Administrative Violations establishes liability of legal persons and officials for violating these norms. For instance, in Q4 2012 regional FAS Offices initiated 32 cases against officials and 40 cases against legal entities and fined the violators 6,615,000 Rubles”, summed up Vitaly Korolyov.