On contracts for the electric power supply

Abstract

Features of contracts for electric power supply, purchase and sale (supply) of it are discussed in the paper. A comparison of these contracts is made. The persons granted with the rights and responsibilities to enter into these contracts are identified. It is noted that the legislation on the electric power industry is inconsistent in distinguishing between contracts for electric power supply, on one side, and purchase and sale contracts, on the other. For instance, it is permitted to enter into electric power supply contracts, in particular, for guaranteeing suppliers which are acknowledged as energy sales organizations but not energy supply organizations. As a result, a person who does not have the necessary technical devices, i. e. a connected network to the consumer’s (customer’s) networks, engages electric grid organization to provide electric power transmission services to the consumer. Electric power transmission services are provided upon concluding sales and purchase agreements. They are provided on the basis of a contract for the provision of electric power transmission services. This contract is considered to be consistent with the concept of such contracts. The absence of a sign of a connected network under an energy supply contract is an optional exception to the general rules and it negates the specified division of contracts for the electric power supply. The article examines the legal issues of energy supply and purchase and sale contracts. It is noted that the legislative regulation of contracts for the supply of electric power requires improvement, incl. in order to eliminate contradictions in it.

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