Mr Buzin Vyacheslav, Director-General, JSC Gazprom Gas Distribution, Leningrad Region, on Saturday said Mr Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, was committed to an all-Russia gasification programme, to promote clean energy and energy security.
Vyacheslav said this during a visit to Voskresenskoye, a gasified village in the Leningrad Region, Russia, by African journalists and energy experts on tour of Gazprom facilities.
Vyacheslav said Voskresenskoye was one of 500 villages that had been gasified as part of the initiative to make gas available to homes for cooking and heating.
“Gazprom is actively bringing gas to cities and villages, building gas pipelines stretching from major gas trunk lines to consumers.
“Gas infrastructure expansion is the most ambitious socially significant project of Gazprom that helps to improve the living standards of people.
“The main benefits of pipeline natural gas are: convenience of use, eco-friendliness, cost efficiency and reliability.
“Uninterrupted delivery and safety are the main principles of Gazprom as regards gas supplies,” said Vyacheslav.
According to him, both construction and operation of gas infrastructure facilities are performed with stringent requirements.
“Natural gas is the cheapest energy source available in Russia today, and gas prices are regulated by the government, which makes gas affordable for households.
“Gas infrastructure expansion is a powerful driving force for the development of regional economies,” he said.
He said the government was responsible for the expenses for gas installation and underground piping (120-150 metres depth) up to the border of the house, while expenses for piping from the border into the house are taken care of by the owner.
The Russian government reimburses money spent by the gasified house owner after the installation.
Vyacheslav said gas was supplied to 28.9 million apartments and households and 413,500 industrial, agricultural and public enterprises.
He said the monthly payment by the gasified house owner was on post paid basis and depended on the season of year to ascertain consumption level.
He said during winter the average cost of gas consumption by households was estimated at 20 euros or 25 dollars per month, and as low as five euros or five to seven dollars per month in summer due to less consumption of gas occasioned by the weather.
According to him, the house owner signs an agreement with the company on maintenance and technical work, and that the company is responsible for damaged equipment.
He said the advantages of access to gas for domestic use included availability of reliable source of energy, which increased the investment attractiveness of Russia’s regions, larger tax payments, employment growth, improvement in living standards and better environmental conditions.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Russian gasified programme started in 1960 and since then 500 villages have been gasified, while houses in the Leningrad region were gasified in 2022.
Gazprom Gas Distribution Network provides Russian consumers with natural gas in 72 Russian regions to make clean energy widely available.
The piping is carried out by the government through the Unified Russian Gas System by lowering gas pressure to 0.5 Megapascal (MPA) and supplying into houses for cooking and heating.
Source: News Agency of Nigeria
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