Russia’s joining the World Trade Organisation will not cause higher tariffs on electricity, Minister of Energy Sergei Shmatko said on Thursday during a round table in the State Duma, which was devoted to energy problems.
“We plan to keep the rights our regions have to set their own tariffs,” he said. “Nobody from outside will introduce any limits.”
Shmatko said that the wholesale market of energy generation is “liberalised fully.” Federal tariffs are applied to the federal networks company, while the regions introduce tariffs for regional and municipal network companies.
“Our regions have enough regulations to make network companies finance certain directions,” Shmatko said.
The existing system has proved to be effective and there is realistic competition in the market now, he added.