PRESS: Russian antitrust offers to liberalize gas prices 2018

MOSCOW, Apr 6 (PRIME) -- Russia’s Federal Antimonopoly Service has proposed to deregulate wholesale gas prices in 2018 and to set them on the commodities market, business daily Vedomosti reported on Wednesday, citing a letter of the watchdog to ministries.

The government now controls wholesale prices of gas giant Gazprom, and other producers adapt to this level. In 2016, authorities will allow Gazprom boost the price by only 2%. But a source in an oil and gas company said that in order for gas makers to invest in development, prices must rise by inflation plus 2%.

The service asked in the letter to set the minimum threshold for a gas price increase at the inflation level, which is forecasted at 5–5.5% in 2017–2019.

The antitrust asked to raise gas prices by 4% on July 1, 2017.

An official of the Economic Development Ministry said the ministry opts for keeping gas price regulation in 2017–2018, and the prices will grow by up to 3%.

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