Moscow. 22 November 2004. RAO "UES of Russia" conducted simulation trading in natural gas using the online B2B-Energo system (www.b2b-energo.ru).*

The gas trading model is based on the draft Natural Gas Trading Rules of the Interregional Exchange of the Oil and Gas Sector.

The principal difference between the ?2?-Energo trading and exchange trading is that the trading on B2B-Energo is organized as a double e-auction conducted online on a day-ahead basis. Such procedure ensures the auction's transparency and makes it impossible to "swing the market" or drive the prices upward.

The settlement system of B2B-Energo ensures a whole range of financial operations relating to natural gas trading, including delivery versus payment, which is of vital importance.

Being a major natural gas consumer, RAO "UES of Russia" sees it as a priority to create and develop a modern and efficient e-market for fuel adapted to the reforms underway in the electricity sector. The use of B2B-Energo trading floor for natural gas trading (currently, it is used to trade coal and fuel oil) will be a real step towards the launch of a fuel market for the electricity industry.

* The Information and Trading System "Market for Goods, Services and Technologies for the Electricity Industry - ?2?-Energo" was created in 2002 on the initiative of RAO "UES of Russia" in order to facilitate procurement of the Holding Company's entities and cut procurement administration costs. B2B-Energo draws on the best solutions of Russian and foreign developers reflecting the most recent trends in electronic technologies relating to organization of b2b activities.

Today, B2B-Energo brings together about 2,000 organizations, including regional energos, AO-power plants, other enterprises of RAO UES Holding (principals); plants producing power engineering equipment, spare parts and other materials used in the electricity industry; energy equipment installation and R&M companies, and research and development institutions of the electric power sector, etc.