Gas Tariffs: Independents on the Offensive

摘要

In the summer, when liberalization of LNG export became imminent, Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller, commenting on the implications for the monopolist, noted: "In fact, gas export monopoly is no preference (...) since part of our revenue from gas sales abroad is used to support the domestic market." Russia's local gas prices are considered to be low. That is why in 2006 the government began to introduce a series of steps aimed at developing the domestic gas market. In particular, the Cabinet had promised that by 2011 it would establish equal netback pricing with European market tariffs (minus transportation costs and export duties). Subsequently, the move was postponed until 2014-2015, and now there's talk about further delay until at least 2017-2018.