Antimonopoly department sums up results on confirmation of tariffs of natural monopoly's subjects and public utilities since April 1 of 2004

/Kazakhstan today, March 18, 04/ - Kazakhstan agency for natural monopolies regulation and competition defense has summed up results of examination of tariffs for services of natural monopolies subjects (NMS) and regulated types of services of energy-, heat- and gas supply, which are set since April 1 of 2004. KZ- today was informed about it by the press-service of Antimonopoly department. There were submitted 138 applications to the territorial department of the agency for confirmation of 224 tariffs for services of subjects included in local section of the State register and subjects, which take dominating position at the market of rendering of services of energy-, heat- and gas supply, that is 20.1% of total number of confirmed tariffs. On the reason of breaking of legislation requirements applications of subjects for decreasing of 45 tariffs were rejected without examination. 179 tariffs out of examined ones, according to results of analysis of materials, 28 tariffs have been remained in effect, 30 tariffs have been confirmed, with downgrade - 39. Applications for increasing of 82 tariffs (36.6% of total number of tariffs submitted for examination) have been satisfied because of falling of volumes of rendered services, increasing of the cost of bought energy, fuel, raw stuff, materials, growth of expenses, expenses for repairs, increasing of technical losses and other norms confirmed by state bodies. As regards NMS included in the republican section of the State register, applications for increasing of tariffs were submitted by 22 subjects out of 8 - Transport service center OJSC, Passenger transportations OJSC, RSE Yesil su, Transtelecom OJSC, Nursat CJSC, NC Kazakhstan temir zholy CJSC, Kostanaisbytenergo OJSC, International airport Almaty JSC. Applications of Nursat CJSC and NC Kazakhstan temir zholy CJSC have been rejected because of non-correspondence to the requirements of the legislation. Tariffs of three subjects of natural monopolies (Transport service center OJSC, International airport Almaty JSC, Passenger transportations OJSC) have been remained on the level of acting ones. In accordance with introduction of new Rules for funding of the cost of services concerning drinking water supply from special group systems of water supply confirmed by the government's resolution dated January 23 of this year ¦76, tariff for drinking water supply of RSE "Yesil su" has been reexamined. As the result, taking into account funding from the republican budget, tariff for consumers was 40.40 tenge for m3 (with VAT), that is lower by 44% than the acting one. During examination of applications for changing of tariffs (prices) of natural monopoly's subjects since April 1 of this year there have been held more than 50 public hearings in all regions of the country. In regions the situation concerning changing of tariffs is different. Tariffs for water supply and sewerage in Astana will not be increased since April 1 of 2004, at that, the subject came with application for increasing of tariffs by 25.2 and 17.7% correspondingly. Tariffs for public utilities in Taldykorgan, Kokshetau, Aktobe, Pavlodar and Shymkent remained on the same level, although application of tariffs increasing were submitted in all regions. All changes of the tariffs correspond to the forecasted indexes of growth of tariffs and prices, which were planned by the indicative plan of social and economic development of Kazakhstan. [2004-03-18]