First Victory of Khakasiya over RAO UES in Struggle for Sayano-Shushenskaya GES
The government of Khakasiya has won its first victory over RAO 'UES of Russia' in the fight for the largest hydro power station in the country - Sayano-Shushenskaya GES. The Arbitration Court of the Siberian region declared the privatization of the electro power station invalid. Experts believe that 'Rusal' benefits from this resolution, but are convinced that RAO UES will succeed in contesting the decision.
When the Sayano-Shushenskaya GES was privatized, Khakasiya did not become a sharholder of the company, instead getting the right to buy electro energy for internal use in the republic at the realization tarif of GES. 75% of energy in the republic is consumed by the Sayani aluminum plant controlled by 'Russian aluminum'. The discount is to expire in 2004, but the Khakasiya officials decided to stand up for the cheap energy. In April 2003 the Khakasiya government filed a lawsuit demanding to declare the privatization of GES invalid. At the same time the regional authorities sent to RAO 'UES of Russia' the draft amicable agreement proposing to preserve the present price for energy up to 2020. RAO refused to enter into the amicable agreement, while the Arbitrary Court has twice denied the regional governemnt in satisfying the claim.
The head of the Khakasiya government Alexei Lebed promised to keep sueing, and now the republic can celebrate its first victory. On Friday the Arbitration Court of the Siberian region (Irkutsk) nullified the decision of the Khakasiya court and satisfied the claim of the Khakasiya goverment regarding the illegality of privatization of the Sayano-Shushenskaya GES, a member of the RAO's management Andrey Trapeznikov reported.
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