The town of Ostashkov (Tver Oblast) has hosted a meeting dedicated to the progress with the project for construction of the branch pipeline to Ostashkov and a comprehensive gasification of the Ostashkovsky, Penovsky, Selizharovsky, Andreapolsky areas and ZATO Solnechny (Tver Oblast).

The meeting was attended by Yury Serkovsky, Deputy Governor of the Tver Oblast, a Gazprom delegation, heads and representatives of local executive authorities, heads and specialists of Gazprom’s subsidiaries, engineering institutions and contractors.

The participants heard and discussed issues relevant to the construction of gasification facilities. Special attention was paid to the synchronization of activities aimed at constructing the branch pipeline to Ostashkov and distribution networks, and preparing consumers for gas supply.

The meeting pointed therefore to the need for the local authorities to timely complete the registration of land intended for the construction of the branch pipeline to Ostashkov and the Zekhnovo automated gas distribution station.

The meeting resulted in the decisions to complete a work synchronization schedule for the Tver Oblast gasification in 2007 including the completion of branch pipeline to supply gas to the Ostashkov and Peno.

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A five-year Agreement of cooperation between Gazprom and the Tver Oblast was signed in January 2002. In December 2004 the Agreement of gasification was signed.

The region is currently gasified by 52 per cent including 69 per cent in cities, towns & urban settlements and 18 per cent in rural area. The average rates in Russia are at 54 per cent, 61 per cent, 36 per cent, respectively.

In accordance with the gasification program of the Russian Federation constituents in 2006 Gazprom committed RUR 771 mln for the Tver Oblast gasification.

In 2007 Gazprom plans to commit RUR 800 mln for the regional gasification. The financial resources will be committed to completion of gasification facilities construction, which was started within 2005-2006 including the ZekhnovoAGDS - Ostashkov and Zekhnovo - Peno local gas pipelines. Additionally, it is planned to provide survey and start construction of the Zekhnevo - Selizharovo, Peno – Andreapol - Kostusheno, Ostashkov – Solnechny – Svetlitsa -Svyatoye (Ostashkov area) new local pipelines.

A schedule plan for synchronizing the Tver Oblast gasification was approved in 2007.