OREANDA-NEWS. December 02, 2011. The Office of the Federal Antimonopoly Service in the Tyumen region (Tyumen OFAS Russia) was informed that “Tyumenenergo” OJSC paid two fines for abusing market dominance (the total sum – over 42 million Rubles), reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

Earlier Tyumen OFAS Russia fined “Tyumenenergo” OJSC four times, each fine being over 38 million Rubles. However the Arbitration Court reduced the fines to 21 million Rubles.

The antimonopoly body fined “Tyumenenergo” OJSC for violating Part 1 Article 10 of the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition”.

The OFAS Commission found that “Tyumenenergo” OJSC had avoided a contract for technological connection with house owners.

The house owners applied to a branch of “Tyumenenergo” OJSC – “Tyumen Distribution Networks” – for connecting their houses for electric power supply. However, the branch referred them to “Utilities Directorate”, which was the building owner of utility networks for housing development in Kazarovo-Beyeznyaki village.

“Tyumenenergo” OJSC and “Utilities Directorate” concluded a contract for technological connection of the energy-receiving devices of the latter that were necessary to supply power to individual dwellings. Having sent a contract offer to the Directorate, “Tyumenenergo” OJSC referred members of the general public, who applied to the company, to the Directorate. At a court hearing “Tyumenenergo” OJSC explained its actions by absence of actual, legal and technical possibilities for technological connection.

Tyumen OFAS Russia found that “Tyumenenergo” OJSC violated the antimonopoly law. Three Court Instances confirmed legitimacy and reasonableness of the decision of the antimonopoly body.

According to Deputy Head of FAS Department for Control over Electric Power Industry, Elena Tsyshevskaya, “such cases, unfortunately, are not rare for the Antimonopoly Service. Apart from everything else, the ugliness of the situation is that the violation was committed by a holder of natural monopoly that by law must ensure access to its services, turn its face towards the consumers who do not have much choice in such a situation. The fact that the Court recognised legitimacy of the decision made by the antimonopoly body once again proves the rightness of FAS position”.