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Gazprom not only deliver gas to EU, but also to sell electricity

Speaking on the Gazprom gas prices, Miller also disagreed with the claims that the Russian gas price for Europe is too high

BERLIN, January 26 (Itar-Tass) —— The Russian gas major Gazprom intends to sell to Europe not only gas, but also electric power, Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller said in an interview published in the Suddeutsche Zeitung on Thursday.

“We would like not only to deliver gas, but also to enter the electric power market,” Miller said. In the middle of November Gazprom purchased a small German energy and telecommunication company Envacom Service GmbH, receiving the access to the end electric power consumer in Germany. Envacom, which was founded in 1999, competes with major German energy concerns RWE and E.ON.

Miller noted that Gazprom is ready as before to invest in the construction of electric power stations, despite the fact that the Russian gas giant and RWE terminated the negotiations on a mutual agreement to create a joint venture for the electric power generation from the coal and gas in Western Europe. Then the concerns “failed to agree on the framework of cooperation suitable for both sides.

Speaking on the Gazprom gas prices, Miller also disagreed with the claims that the Russian gas price for Europe is too high.

“The gas price is linked with the basket of oil products. For the last few years it went up, as well as the price for other types of raw materials. Our gas is not expensive, quite to the contrary,” Miller said.

“We are negotiating with many companies about the pricing structure. However, any changes in the prices should have serious, fair grounds, for instance, drastic changes on the markets,” the Gazprom CEO said, noting that he does not witness such changes.

“The gas market has a big future,” Alexei Miller said. “The gas consumption in Europe will keep growing, the gas production (in Europe – Itar-Tass) will be on the decline,” he noted. “The natural gas in next 20 years will be an energy carrier with the highest demand. The so-called countries with transitional economy, as well as industrial countries in the Pacific Region are ready to buy any gas supplies, which are available on the market,” Miller pointed out.

Miller also recalled that Russia is a leading gas producer in the world. “To our mind, these positions will hardly change,” the Gazprom CEO said.

The political dialogue plays an important role in energy security, Miller said. “Such projects as Nord Stream need the political support,” he remarked. Meanwhile, the Gazprom CEO noted that “we oppose the politicisation of the gas market and are negotiating with German partners, how it is possible to improve energy supplies.”