A working meeting between Alexey Miller, Gazprom’s Management Committee Chairman, and Alexander Chernogorov, Governor of the Stavropol Region, was held today at Gazprom’s Headquarters.

The parties discussed the possibility of allocating additional natural gas volumes to the Stavropol Region this year. The parties also pointed out the Regional consumers’ considerable debt to Gazprom for the gas supplied, being currently paid for in small amounts. Taking this into consideration, A. Miller and A. Chernogorov decided to defer consideration of additional gas deliveries to the Stavropol Region until a later date.

The parties also examined the progress in gas deliveries to the Stavropol Region and other issues.

Reference:

In 2003 the Stavropol Region’s consumers received 10.2 bcm of gas (100.1% against the target), to be, reportedly, increased to 10.8 bcm in 2004.

Natural gas deliveries to the Stavropol Region considerably exceed today Russia-averaged indices. Gas is supplied to 86.89% of the Regional territories, including 90.2%, to the cities and 82.3%, to rural settlements (against Russia’s average of 52.7%, 60.2%, 33.1%, respectively).

The Regional consumers’ indebtedness to Gazprom for the gas supplied is one of the highest in the RF and, as of February this year, accounted for over RUR 2.4 billion. As of 1 February 2004, current gas payments in the Stavropol Region did not exceed 54%.

DIVISION OF RELATIONS WITH MASS MEDIA