Belarus made to pay for illegal electrical energy transition

The Belarusian authorities are accused of non-approved transit of Ukrainian electrical energy through Russian power networks.

Russia loses several million dollars per month due to non-approved transit of Ukrainian energy by Belarus through Russian power networks. RIA Novosti learnt this from a representative of Inter RAO UES, a Russian energy company, after official representatives of Belenergo had denied accusations of non-approved energy transit on Friday.

According to a representative of Inter RAO UES, Belarus buys energy from Ukraine and transfer a part of it through a direct line between the two countries, but another part is transported through a transmission line on the territory of Russia. The transmission is not approved by the Russian party.

As AFN news agency reminds, a question of power transmissions was raised last Friday by Russian vice premier Igor Sechin, who said that Russian energy industry was concerned over “non-approved transit of electrical power produced in third countries through our transition lines”. According to him, the Russian party sent a proposal to Belarus to handle the problem, but didn’t give any details.

Belarus hurried to deny Sechin’s accusations.

“There can’t be cross-flows of electrical power,” general director of Belenergo Alyaksei Shyrma said Friday.

However, Inter RAO claims the transit is not paid and Russia loses several million dollars every month.