Yekaterina Tesemnikova, exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza
In Soviet times the North Caucasus power industry was thought to be rather promising – the power balance of the region successfully combined gas, oil, coal and hydroelectric resources. Oil was found in the Grozny district, which covers part of the Terek and the Sunzhi Rivers and the Kabardino-Sunzhi Range. The Staro-Groznenskoe, Novo-Groznenskoe and Malgobekskoe oil fields were developed there. Grozny fuel was thought to be one of the best in the Soviet Union. The coal industry of the North Caucasus produced 6.5% of the all-Union energy production. However, the most important resources were the hydraulic power of the Terek, Sulak, Samur and other rivers.
Today oil and gas production, oil refining, oil and gas chemistry and electricity power projects are being launched in the NCFD again. Lukoil, Gazprom, and Rosneft produce 1.6 million tons of oil and 800 million cubic meters of gas there. According to the Minister of Energy, Alexander Novak, development of hydrocarbon resources on the land and in the Caspian Sea, where 11 oil and gas fields are situated, is promising. Moreover, mainstream transit oil pipelines, which provide deliveries of oil products to foreign markets through the Black Sea, pass through the territory of the District.
Oil refining. There are several projects which are being implemented or will be implemented in the NCFD. Novak pointed out the Grozny oil refining plant, the Makhachkala ORP, and the polyethyleneterephthalate plant in Kabardino-Balkaria at a session of the governmental commission on socio-economic development of the NCFD. The Grozny plant is only developing the projects; the development will be completed in December. The polyethyleneterephthalate plant for food and textile purposes will be built by 2016; Russian enterprises will provided it with materials, and in 2018 it is expected that the plant will produce its own materials. At the moment the projects is at a stage of basic projecting.
Electricity power. At the moment the Ministry of Energy, Gazprom and TGK-2 are developing construction of a heating station with two CCGT units (180 MW) in Grozny. In the near future several new electric power plants with a general capacity of 800 MW will be launched. RusHydro will invest 45 billion rubles into construction of the stations by 2016.
Electrical grid facilities. The investment program of “MRSK of the North Caucasus” to 2019 requires 14.7 billion rubles; 3 100 km of power lines of 1044 MVA capacity will be built.
Novak is sure that the NCFD enterprises could be a basis for import substitution to fulfill orders in the electric power industry and oil and gas industries – the Nalchik engineering plant, the Georgyevsky Plant, Stankoterm, Dagelectroautomat and the Energomera Concern. 25% of all elements of solar batteries of Germany are being produced by Energomera Concern.
Speaking about the rate policy, the Minister says that beneficial rates on wholesale capacities and electricity power operate in the NCFD. In the republic rates have been reduced by 20-40%, but the beneficial term comes to an end on January 1st, 2015. The Ministry of Energy suggests a possible gradual liberalization over two years – to prolong the term to January 1st, 2017.
