According to Interfax, Murmansk Governor Yuri Yevdokimov this week addressed Prime Minister Vladimir Putin with a request to allocate 2,6 billion RUB of federal electricity subsidies. The request comes as Russian authorities are reforming the national energy market with the introduction of harmonized and all-Russian consumer prices. In a transition period, the regions not benefiting from the reform among them Murmansk Oblast get subsidies from the state. However, this year, the federal government have failed to cash out the money, resulting in increasing impatience in regions like Murmansk. So far, Murmansk Oblast has enjoyed low energy prices because of its rich hydro power resources and its nuclear power plant. According to regional officials, Murmansk has until now been able to produce relatively cheap electric energy in an almost isolated energy system.
