Electricity and heat tariffs will rise by 20 percent from January 1

From January 1 in Irkutsk region, electricity and heat tariffs for the population will rise, both services will become 20 percent more expensive. For city residents electricity will cost 65 kopeks per kWh, and average bills will rise by 22 rubles a month. The article also explains why the approved tariffs were lower than Irkutskenergo initial proposals and how they compare with federal limits.

Electricity tariffs for the population in the Irkutsk Region will increase by 20% from January 1, compared with this year.
The new tariff levels for 2009 were approved at a meeting of the Irkutsk Region Tariff Service on Thursday. Thus, the electricity tariff for the urban population will amount to 65 kopecks per 1 kWh. In 2008, the tariff was set at 45 kopecks per 1 kWh. For urban residents whose electricity consumption is 200 kWh per month, electricity payment expenses will increase by 22 rubles. For the rural population, a reduced coefficient of 0.7% is applied. The approved tariffs for the population correspond to the maximum tariffs established by the Federal Tariff Service (FTS) of the Russian Federation for the Irkutsk Region.
Heat energy tariffs in 2009 will also rise by 20%. Irkutskenergo OJSC had proposed that the tariff service set the increase at 65%. The service approved the heat energy tariff at 438.89 rubles per Gcal. Heat energy tariffs for consumers in the region are also set within the maximum levels approved by the Russian FTS, Elena Ivanova noted.