BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

06/01/2007

Stable energy supplies guaranteed in Belarus - official

MINSK. Jan 6 (Interfax-West) - Belarus' First Deputy Energy Minister Eduard Tovpenets has pledged guaranteed energy supplies to Belarussian consumers in the winter.

"We'll live through the winter without any tremors and with stable energy supplies," Tovpenets said at a news conference in Minsk on Friday.

Belarus has signed a gas contract with Russia's Gazprom (RTS: GAZP) and is to receive 21.8 billion cubic meters in 2007, he said, adding that, "the volume of gas to be shipped has been rigidly defined for the next five years."

Belarus also signed in December "a very important contract" to import electricity from Ukraine - up to 3.3 billion kilowatt-hours, and from Russia - up to 3.5 billion kilowatt-hours, which "is fully sufficient to meet the republic's needs in energy," Tovpenets said.

Belarus' reserve of fuel oil has been preserved, he added.

Belneftekhim concern Vice Chairman Vladimir Volkov said Belarussian oil refineries have a supply of crude to last until the end of January.

"Our oil refineries usually form oil reserves before New Year. The oil refineries are working at full capacity and, I'm sure, they will have a sufficient workload in the future. Petroleum products will be available at filling stations," Volkov said.

Earlier reports said that Belarus suspended its purchases of crude from Russia from January 1 2007 over Russia's decision to introduce an oil export duty.

Source:

http://www.interfax.ru/e/B/politics/28.html?id_issue=11656575