SOCHI, May 11. /TASS/. Russia has not yet received a written invitation to the forthcoming OPEC summit in June but continues interacting with counterparts, Energy Minister Alexander Novak said on Wednesday.

"No such invitation you talk about has been present so far," the Minister told journalists.

Cooperation with the OPEC continues, Novak said. "We continue contacting and interacting. You know we established information exchange and meetings held on a regular basis," the Minister said. "Our counterparts from the OPEC and we will continue interacting on the situation monitoring and analysis," Novak said. The parties have a joint action plan, he added.

Russian Energy Ministry to continue contacts with new Saudi Energy Minister

The Russian Energy Minister expects to continue contacts with the new Energy Minister of Saudi Arabia despite absence of the oil production freeze agreement, Minister Alexander Novak went on to say.

"Our interaction is within the framework of energy cooperation or bilateral trade and economic cooperation. We will definitely continue contacts with the new minister and will proceed with contacts within the intergovernmental commissions’ framework. Our contacts will continue despite failure to reach an agreement in Doha on April 17 and we will develop our cooperation in all areas," Novak said.

First units of power plants in Simferopol and Sevastopol to be commissioned in fall of 2017

According to the Russian Energy Monister, first units of thermal power plants under construction in Crimea’s Simferopol and Sevastopol are scheduled for commissioning in September 2017.

"Construction of two thermal power plants is broken down into two phases. I’d like to remind again each of power plants consists of two units of 235 MW each. Therefore commissioning of the first units will be the first milestone in September 2017. One unit will be put into service in Simferopol and one in Sevastopol. This means extra 470 MW for Crimean residents," Novak said.