OREANDA-NEWS. April 03, 2014. Last week four court hearings took place in Saratov. The Courts pronounced legitimacy of the fines imposed by the Office of the Federal Antimonopoly Service in the Volgograd region upon a network company - “Interregional Electric Distribution Company of the South” OJSC (“MRSK South” OJSC).

First, Volgograd Regional Arbitration Court, and then the 12th Arbitration Appeal Court supported the antimonopoly body, pronouncing legitimacy of the fines for the total sum - 10 million RUB that “MRSK South” OJSC shall have to transfer to the federal budget.

“MRSK South” OJSC breached the deadlines for technological connection of power-receiving devices of individuals to the company’s mains, which is a violation of the antimonopoly law.

Also, on 26 and 28 March 2014, the Office of the Federal Antimonopoly Service in the Murmansk region initiated two cases against “MRSK North-West” OJSC upon elements of violating the antimonopoly law in the part of:

- Applying free (non-regulated) prices in settlements with “InvestProektLimited” Ltd. for the supplied electric power (capacity) to be consumed for public-utility use by individuals residing in Murmansk (Part 1 Article 10 of the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition”)

- Introducing restrictions of electric power consumption with regard to “Oboronenergosbyt” OJSC, which resulted in restricted supply of electric power to the facilities of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation (Clause 4 Part 1 Article 10 of the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition”).

The case is scheduled for 29th April 2014.