Federal agencies (the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Construction, the Ministry of Economic Development and the Federal Antimonopoly Service) want to transfer New Moscow to a new model, according to which the investor invests money in infrastructure, and in return gets the right to increase the tariff for heat supply above inflation. The Moscow Mayor’s Office fears a sharp rise in the cost of services: the economically reasonable price for them will then soar much higher than the current tariff.
But it seems that the departments do not care about this at all. As follows from the report to the Government of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Energy intends to allow the leadership of the capital to move to the so-called price zone of heat supply, so that it becomes possible to use a market model of tariff formation (alternative boiler house method).
“An alternative boiler house is an unregulated approach based on the market principle, based on marginal indices, therefore, tariff changes are possible within its framework every year,” explains Sergey Voityuk, deputy head of the analytical department in the social sphere of the Executive Committee of the People’s Front. – This method is being implemented in the Altai Territory in the city of Rubtsovsk. There, in 2024, with a marginal index for the region of 9.3%, the increase in the heating tariff for three large cities of the subject was: in Barnaul – 14.2%, in Biysk – 15%, in Rubtsovsk – 11.8%. In Moscow, the use of this method can increase the tariff for heat by 39%.”
The method of alternative boiler house in the Russian Federation started working in 2018. The investor invests money in infrastructure, and in return sells heat at a negotiated price, which gradually increases according to the schedule to an “economically reasonable level”. The investor can raise the price by several percent above inflation in agreement with the city authorities. 43 cities in 20 regions of the Russian Federation have already moved to price zones.
According to Sergey Voityuk, there is experience of successful implementation of this method, but it is necessary to evaluate its application in specific regions. “Perhaps somewhere, for example in St. Petersburg, it will be more expedient to maintain infrastructure at the expense of the budget program and not resort to a shock increase in tariffs,” says the analyst of the Popular Front. – It should be noted that the arrival of concessions in the regions does not always lead to success. For example, in small settlements, concessionaires were brought in who do not even have the funds for effective investments.”
The alternative boiler house method largely represents the interests of thermal engineers, said Sergey Sokhranov, Executive Director of Housing and Communal Services Control. According to him, this system was created precisely taking into account the interests of heat generating organizations and the main disadvantage is that the interest of homeowners is not entirely clear within its framework.
Indeed, apart from the increase in tariffs, the owners receive nothing. Upgrading infrastructure, preventing accidents in heating networks? But this is already the direct responsibility and responsibility of resource companies, and not some kind of feat for which people are asked to fork out to the maximum. That is, there are obvious attempts by generating companies to shift their problems, shoals and costs to citizens, and with the support of the federal authorities. And the local “creatives” are either in a share, or have completely forgotten their direct duties. From greed.
“The heat generating organization, submitting its tariff for consideration by the regional energy commission, must justify and protect this tariff,” explains S. Sokhranov. – The REC considers several factors in this situation: the economic justification of the tariff, the ability of the population to pay for it, and the ability of the region, in the event of a tariff increase, to provide social protection to the population through the payment of subsidies, etc. In the case of an alternative boiler room, we kind of lose this second part, part of social protection, insurance. In Moscow, it was estimated that when switching to the alternative boiler method, tariffs increase by more than a third. Are the owners ready to pay for it?”
According to State Duma Deputy Sergei Kalashnikov, the proposed system fundamentally violates the interests of consumers and requires a detailed review: “It is impossible to find a balance between the interests of consumers and suppliers – this is an illusion. The solution lies in the plane of international experience, and there are two lines here. The first is the experience of the USSR, when centralized energy supply was owned by the state. The second way is when private boiler houses are on the balance sheet of homeowners. During the time of state ownership, the solution was effective, the state paid for everything. Now we need to decide whether the state continues to pay or shifts it to business.” S. Kalashnikov believes that this is possible, but only with scrupulous development of principles. The conditions for the transfer of heat supply to private owners should be such that during a certain period the cost will decrease, not increase. But not so that you give away the warmth and the right to set your prices.
It seems that the same opinion is held by the Moscow authorities. They understand what the next tariff jump will turn out to be. The introduction of the alternative boiler house method can lead to “a significant increase in the cost of thermal energy for all consumers,” writes Mr. Sergei Sobyanin to the head of the Russian government.
Although departmental top creatives continue to insist on their own. It is said about them: “They are terribly far from the people.”
Grigory Alekseev.
Photo: Moscow Agency/P. Tikhonov.
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