LN: Gas prices won't fall, lobbyists win

Prague, Oct 24 (CTK) - Gas supplies will not become cheaper in the Czech Republic as of January next year as gas companies backed by the Economic Chamber (HK) have managed to reverse the Energy Regulatory Office's (ERU) original plans, the daily Lidove noviny (LN) writes Wednesday.

The regulator's argument was that the operators of the gas networks had been investing smalls amounts of money in the distribution networks, LN said.

The ERU hinted in September that prices for the distribution and transport of gas might drop by up to 7 percent on average, the paper said.

The Economic Chamber was lobbying for the interests of six regional gas distributors and one operator of the backbone gas network instead of defending the interests of thousands of its corporate members, LN said referring to documents it has at its disposal.

The chamber's spokeswoman Lenka Vodna told LN that the chamber represents distributors as well as buyers. A team of experts had drafted a legislative proposal that is in line with Czech laws, she said.

The chamber stepped in at a time when the ERU managed to cope with resistance from the group RWE, which occupies around a half of the Czech gas market, LN noted.