Moscow, 8 February 2006. In view of the extremely difficult situation in the Moscow Energy System caused by severe frosts and ongoing increase in power consumption, the Emergency Management Centre took a decision to preserve the energy conservation regime** for certain industrial consumers tomorrow, 9 February. Between 9 am and 1 pm, the power restrictions will make 296 MW, and in the evening peak load (5 pm – 9 pm) they will make in excess of 500 MW.

As was noted by the Centre, the evening peak load of 7 February and the morning peak load of 8 February, the energy consumption in the Moscow energy system was at its historic high level of 20 January. The restrictions in power supply during the evening and morning peak load periods amounted to 500 MW and 230 MW, respectively. The temperature of water in the district heating networks corresponded to the weather conditions.

The Moscow energy system is operating without breakdowns. In the unusually low temperatures, the Moscow Region's power plants are running all their equipment at full capacity, with some facilities working at overload.

In the evening of 8 February, the energy consumption is expected to make at 16,000 MW. Accordingly, the energy restrictions of 500 MW will be maintained for some industrial consumers in Moscow and the surrounding region between 5 pm to 9 pm.

The supply reduction schedules have been agreed with the Governments of Moscow and the Moscow Region, and the members of the Emergency Management Center to coordinate of actions in the Moscow energy system during the cold period. The power supply reductions will not affect social facilities, buildings of the government and state authorities, medical institutions, military units, facilities of the Ministry of the Interior, the Federal Security Service, nuclear centers, underground railways ("metro"), etc.

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* The meetings of the Emergency Management Center are attended by senior executives of the Moscow Generation Company, Moscow City Grid Company and Moscow Region Grid Company, the heads of the Moscow Region's energy dispatching units, as well as key officers of the RAO UESR administrative staff, Head of the Moscow Municipal Services Directorate and First Deputy Mayor of Moscow Pyotr Aksyonov, Minister of Utilities, Fuel and Energy of the Moscow Region Government Viktor Beshkarev, Head of the Main Directorate of Russia's Ministry of Emergencies for the city of Moscow Aleksandr Yeliseyev, and representatives of the Moscow Military District HQ.

** The deliveries of power to industrial consumers will be reduced with advance notice given to each such consumer. These measures were taken pursuant to Resolution of the Russian Government No. 664 of 1999 and are designed to provide a reliability margin in the energy system required to prevent any possible local problems from cascading into a massive blackout.

The energy companies submitted for approval by the Fuel and Energy Department of the Moscow City and Moscow Region a list of consumers to which electricity supply would be reduced during a period of peak load in the energy system caused by prolonged low temperatures. Such consumers primarily include auxiliary facilities of industrial enterprises.