Surprise for three-phase power supply users

By September 1 the government has prepared a surprise for the Kyrgyz. The State Department of on Regulation of Fuel and Energy Complex has finally decided on the tariff policy. Expectations that the tariff increase is delayed until the spring did not materialize. Officials continue to experiment until one group of subscribers - three-phase power supply. In the upcoming winter they won't be permitted to use electric heating, and for they the tariff for electricity increased up to 1.2 som per kilowatt-hour.

The order, signed by the head of the department Mirgul Aidarova, appeared even on August 14. However, it was published only a week later - on August 20. For a week energy workers pretended that they aren't going to change anything in the system and assured that tariff will not increase, but, in fact, it has already been upgraded. Moreover, the employees of the department, and the Ministry of Energy and Industry answered on journalists' questions that they did not know about the order. And this decree was posted on the official website of the department.

The document states that in order to streamline the application of tariffs for electricity and ensure stable operation of the fuel and energy complex in accordance with the Law "On Energy", as well as in pursuance of the Government Decree "On the medium-term tariff policy for electricity and heat for 2014-2017 years "from September 1 till April 1 of 2015 there were established power tariffs for end-users of according to the applications.

The applications contain the information about changes of tariffs. Single-phase input subscribers will also pay 70 tyiyn per kilowatt-hour, pumping stations - by 72.8 tyiyn, industrial, fiscal, agricultural and other enterprises - 1.38 soms excluding taxes. Tariff for consumers with three-phase power supply system was raised by 72 percent.

It should be noted that the reason for increase of tariff was the order of the Ministry of Energy and Industry, issued on April 22, 2014. Employees of the Department played first before the public performances, saying that they will take into account all the wishes and adequate consideration to the criticism, but then misled the Parliament, which eventually shifted all responsibility for increase in tariffs on the cabinet. When the Parliament only discussed the amendments to several laws, the Industry and Energy Ministry has already decided that the rates will still be established. The MPs also supported the proposal, but, despite the fact that the Cabinet will take responsibility for tariff policy, and left a supervisory role. It isn't necessary to negotiate any changes with them, but their distracting "phi" people's representatives can express anyway.

For clarification 24.kg news agency addressed to the Director of the Department of Energy, which developed and approved the tariff policy. According to it, tariff for three-phase power supply users increased up to the prime cost of electricity. "In fact, the decision to increase the tariff was taken on August 14, but we needed time to coordinate it. We are controlled by the government agency, so we put a decree into force, which mandated to raise tariffs for heat and light from 1 July. Heating rate does not need to be coordinated with the Parliament, so we edited it, it entered into force on July 1. Electricity is passed an agreement with Parliament. Besides, deputies made ​​changes to some laws, placing the function of increasing tariffs on the Cabinet. Now we have executed their decision. So what complaints and objections do they have now?" Mirgul Aidarova wondered.

She added that the higher rate will be in effect until April 1, and then for all categories of subscribes will increase till the inflation level.

Later, the press service of the department sent an explanation "to the often asked question regarding the medium-term tariff policy for electricity." "The State Department for Regulation of Fuel and Energy Complex of the Ministry of Energy and Industry of the Kyrgyz Republic, on the basis of its position, has the right to set electricity rates for consumers in accordance with the approved tariff policy by the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic. It was approved on 17 June, 2014. On August 12 the cabinet pointed the ministry to paragraph 2 of resolution in the part of establishing tariffs. According to the Article 74 of the Constitution, the Parliament shall exercise the powers defined solely by the Basic Law. Thus, in accordance with the Article 88 of the provision of financial, pricing and tariff policy is the prerogative of the government," the statement reports.

We can only guess how people's deputies will react to this. Indeed, firs of all changes will affect their interests. Delegating authorities for tariffs to the Cabinet, the deputies did not take into account that they are now vulnerable part of the changes and prohibitions. At the same time they received another lever that allows leaving the cabinet without work.

According to the Minister of Energy and Industry of Osmonbek Artykbaev, users of three-phase power supply in winter consume about 48 percent of electricity. Totally three-phase power supply is used by123,000 subscribers and throughout the republic - 1.2 million consumers. Three-phase power supply users amount to only 10.2 percent of the total number of subscribers. For such a small part of the population consumption is actually very high. But the same three-phase users can be divided further into two categories - rural residents and VIP-subscribers. If the first one use three phases more for domestic and agricultural needs than heating, the second group - for creating favorable conditions in luxurious mansions. Most of them are not adapted to the furnace heating, and amenities (heating, steam baths, saunas, heated floors, air conditioning) are provided with electricity.

Upon learning that in upcoming winter three phase users can not use electric heating, the villagers began to procure coal and firewood. Surprisingly, they reacted to the ban with no worry. Heat from electric heating is absent, as they have to disconnect the system in peak hours. If not fire furnace with coal, radiators get down instantly. And the use of heating requires paying over 4,000 soms for electricity. In this case, subscribers have to spend money on coal. Therefore, it is easier to refuse from electric heating and procure more fuel for the same amount.

Tariff increase will not hit residents of VIP-villas, i.e., the same ministers and MPs, who are dependent on the population. Besides, we all know how they avoid paying bills and negotiate with power workers to write off the debt, in spite of their prosperity. But it would be fun to see how they will perform the same order and move on alternative fuels, preferably coal and wood, without using easy natural gas. Maybe the Prime Minister and the head of the Ministry of Energy and Industry by their personal example will show how to heat house with coal to all consumers connected to three-phase input, being on equal conditions?