SIMFEROPOL, August 7. /TASS/. Russia’s payment bill for electricity supplies to Crimea from Ukraine’s territory may be adjusted by the end of the year, Crimean Head Sergey Aksyonov said on Friday.
The electricity bill adjustment depends on the timeframe of laying a power cable from the Krasnodar Region in south Russia to Crimea along the bed of the Kerch Strait, the Crimean head said.
"The sooner we build a link and put the cable into operation, the clearer the figures will be at the end of the year," Aksyonov said.
"Now talks is underway. We are regularly blackmailed by our former partners [from the Ukrainian side]," the Crimean head said.
Crimean Deputy Fuel and Energy Minister Sergey Bedryk said on Thursday Russia would have to pay Ukraine about $211 million until the end of the year for electricity supplies to Crimea. Russia has already paid Kiev $118.2 million for electricity supplies to the Black Sea peninsula in the first half of the year.
"These are subsidies, which the federal budget transfers to us as the funds to compensate for the difference in tariffs," the Crimean head said.
Crimea currently receives about 600 MWt of electricity from Ukraine daily. Ukraine charges Crimea $0.06 per kW/hr from July 1.
After an underwater ‘power bridge’ to Crimea from the Krasnodar Territory is built, the Russian Black Sea peninsula will be supplied with 800 MWt of electricity from mainland Russia.
The first two out of four power cable lines are scheduled to go into operation in late December 2015, which will allow Crimea to receive about 400 MWt of electricity.
The works to lay a power cable from the Krasnodar Territory in south Russia to Crimea along the bed of the Kerch Strait will start in August, Crimean Fuel and Energy Minister Sergei Yegorov told TASS on Thursday.
"Actual works will start already in August. The projects have long been ready," he said.