10:47 07.12.2018

Regional Gas Company submits sham applications for gas supplies, attempting to disrupt heating season

2 min read
Regional Gas Company submits sham applications for gas supplies, attempting to disrupt heating season

JSC Ukrtransgaz, the gas transmission system operator, claims that Regional Gas Company (RGC), which manages most of gas supply companies, is attempting to disrupt gas supplies to consumers during the heating season.

The press service of Ukrtransgaz reported on Thursday that on December 3, RGC Trading LLC and gas supply companies affiliated with the RGC Group synchronously submitted sham applications for gas supplies to some 100 consumers that have already had applications for December submitted by their current suppliers to the information platform of the gas transmission system (GTS) operator.

"This anomalous activity of RGC companies was recorded in all regions of Ukraine, except Kirovohrad, Odesa, Donetsk and Lugansk regions," the company said.

The Ukrtransgaz also said that usually if the gas transmission system operator receives the same application (from several operators per consumer), their number does not exceed two applications a day. Most often this is due to technical errors. In these cases, Ukrtransgaz, according to the GTS Code, is forced to additionally request confirmation from the consumer, as a result of which the processing time is extended.

In addition, according to the statement of the GTS operator, from December 3, the regional gas supply companies belonging to the RGC group began to disconnect enterprises and institutions of the social sphere from gas pipelines.

Ukrtransgaz also reported that it considers this situation as an "attempt to destabilize the natural gas market on a large scale" and appeals to the National Commission for the State Regulation of Energy, Housing and Utilities Services, the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine and the Security Service of Ukraine to take all required measures to bring all persons involved to justice.

In turn, RGC Trading denied the accusations and stated that the algorithm of the information platform administered by Ukrtransgaz does not allow suppliers to have two or more applications for the same consumer. In particular, a supplier can submit an application for a consumer only if the consumer has not yet been registered by another supplier.

"We believe that the statement of Ukrtransgaz indicates an attempt to shift responsibility for the inability to establish a normal and timely confirmation of applications for consumers," the RGC said in a statement.

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