BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS
DATE:
05/06/2008
Belarus to Increase Amount of Gas in Storage Facilities This Year
Text of report in English by Belarusian privately-owned news agency Belapan
Minsk, 4 June: At least 760m cu.m. of natural gas is to be injected into Belarus's two underground storage facilities this year, said the press office of the Belarusian Council of Ministers.
Last year the facilities reportedly stored 660m cu.m.
The matter was on the agenda of a meeting that the cabinet held on Tuesday [3 June] to look at preparations for the cold season.
A total of 208.98bn [Belarusian] roubles [BR] is projected to be spent on purchases of gas for storage, with the money to come from gas pipeline company Beltranshaz, and from banks in loans. In 2007, BR139.4bn was spent for the purpose, Deputy Economy Minister Anatol Filonaw said at the meeting.
Energy Minister Alyaksandr Azyarets said that talks were under way with Russian natural gas giant Gazprom about extra supplies in the event of a very cold water, with the Belarusian delegation wanting them to be agreed at 120m cu.m. in December and 200m in January so not to burn "expensive fuel oil and impose restrictions or the republic's consumers".
Mr Filonaw said that the housing sector was facing a job of replacing 729.5 kilometres of utility networks, 15.5 per cent more than in 2007. In addition, 186.7 kilometres of heat supply networks should be replaced or built.
Leanid Shants, head of the energy efficiency department at the state standardization committee, highlighted concern that 20 per cent of organizations laid non-insulated heat supply pipes, which was in violation of energy saving requirements.
Prime Minister Syarhey Sidorski ordered the Finance Ministry to deny funds for such projects: "With budgetary funds, we should do quality work one time for 20 years, bearing responsibility for the result."
Originally published by Belapan news agency, Minsk, in English 0744 4 Jun 08.
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