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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 MOSCOW 002912 
 
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E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID RS
SUBJECT: Russia Adopts Law on Energy Savings and Energy Efficiency 
 
MOSCOW 00002912  001.2 OF 004 
 
 
THIS CABLE IS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PLEASE PROTECT 
ACCORDINGLY.  NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION. 
 
1.(SBU) Summary: On November 24 2009, Russian President Dmitry 
Medvedev signed a law on energy savings and energy efficiency. The 
long-awaited legislation creates a framework to meet a goal to 
increase the country's energy efficiency by 40%.  In particular, the 
law restricts the sale of incandescent light bulbs, sets 
requirements for energy efficiency labeling on products, sets energy 
efficiency requirements for new buildings, and provides for 
obligatory metering in residential buildings. The legislation is 
focused on improvements in the residential, communal, and 
budget-financed areas; and to a less extent provides stimulus or 
incentives to private businesses. While a promising start, 
coordination and implementation will be a challenge.  One test will 
be pilot projects approved under the Presidential Commission for 
Modernization and Technological Development of Russia's Economy. End 
Summary. 
 
--------------------------- 
Main Provisions of the Law 
--------------------------- 
Provision 1 -Restrictions on Incandescent Bulbs 
¶2. The law prohibits manufacturing, importing, and selling 
incandescent bulbs of 100 watts and more from January 1, 2011. The 
law recommends a timeframe for eventual prohibition of 
manufacturing, import, and sale of 75 watt bulbs and more from 2013 
and for 25 watt and more, from 2014. A request is addressed to the 
Russian Federation Government to adopt rules of waste disposal for 
spent compact fluorescent bulbs. 
Provision 2 -Energy Efficiency Labelling 
Manufacturers/importers must provide energy efficiency class 
labeling on the following products: 
    Electricity-consuming household appliances-from 2011 
    Computer and office equipment-from 2012 
Other goods as determined by the Russian Federation Government-from 
2013 and further 
 
Provision 3 -Mandatory Commercial Accounting of Energy Resources 
¶3. All legal entities and state institutions must be provided with 
energy resource metering devices by January 1, 2011, and pay for 
consumed resources on the basis of the meters' data. Owners of 
residential houses or apartments in blocs and compounds will have 
the right to apply to the resource provider for meter installation, 
subject to payment [of associated costs] by installments over five 
years. Should the consumer fail to have installed a meter within the 
designated timeframe, the resource-providing organization is bound 
to install such a metering device and the consumer is to cover 
associated costs on terms of payment by installments over five 
years. 
 
Provision 4 -Energy Efficiency Requirements for New Buildings, 
Structures and Facilities 
 
¶4. All buildings, structures, and facilities (except individual 
homes built for one's own use, religious buildings, and small 
buildings) being commissioned after new construction or capital 
repairs shall comply with energy efficiency requirements and have 
energy resource metering devices both at the time of commissioning 
and during the operation of the building. The energy efficiency 
class of new multi-apartment buildings must be determined and 
displayed on the facade of the building. 
 
Provision 5 - Budget-funded Institutions and Government Procurement 
 
¶5. The law sets a goal of an annual 3% reduction in energy 
consumption for all federal budget institutions from 2011. Cost 
savings resulting from this reduction will go to the institution's 
salary funds. The purchase of incandescent bulbs of any capacity to 
be used for lighting is forbidden from 2011. With respect to 
government procurement, the Russian Federation Government shall 
approve minimum energy efficiency specifications for goods, work and 
services, as well as requirements applicable to energy service 
contracts concluded by budget-funded organizations. 
 
 
MOSCOW 00002912  002.2 OF 004 
 
 
Provision 6 -Requirements for the Maintenance of Common Property in 
Multi-Apartment Buildings and Recommendations for Garden and Dacha 
Associations of Individuals 
 
¶6. The Rules of Common Housing Property Management by Apartment 
Owners in a Multi-Apartment Building are complemented with mandatory 
energy saving and energy efficiency arrangements. They may include, 
among other provisions, replacement of bulbs with energy efficient 
models, availability of a double external door at house entrance 
with a door closer, devices to regulate lighting in the entrance, 
and window and entrance door sealing. Recommended energy saving and 
energy efficiency arrangements are also established for the common 
property of garden and dacha associations of individuals. 
 
Provision 7 -Mandatory Energy Audits 
 
¶7. State agencies, natural monopolies, fuel and energy complex 
facilities and organizations in which the annual energy consumption 
exceeds 10 million rubles (about $345,000)  are required to carry 
out energy audits once every five years. The purpose of energy 
audits is to collect and process data on the use of energy 
resources, estimate potential savings and design necessary energy 
saving and energy efficiency activities. Energy audits will result 
in a passport to be submitted to an authorized federal agency, which 
shall determine requirements applicable to such passports. 
 
Provision 8 -Energy Saving and Energy Efficiency Enhancement 
Programs 
 
¶8. The law calls for energy saving and energy efficiency enhancement 
programs to be developed by all state-owned companies, budget-funded 
institutions and regulated organizations as well as regions and 
municipalities. The law establishes minimum requirements for 
regional and municipal programs. The programs shall specify target 
indicators of energy efficiency enhancement and actions toward 
achieving them. 
 
Provision 9 -Energy Service Contracts 
 
¶9. The law describes energy service contracts conceived to 
facilitate energy savings by individuals and legal entities without 
investing their own funds, i.e. to be financed by energy service 
companies. Payment under an energy service contract will be funded 
by a portion of saved resource costs. The law introduces obligations 
for resource-supplying organizations and managing organizations to 
propose certain energy saving and energy efficiency arrangements to 
the population, including through implementation of energy service 
contracts. 
 
Provision 10 -Transition of Long-Term Tariff Regulation 
 
¶10. A major incentive to increase energy efficiency of natural 
monopolies and organizations of the district utility sector is the 
application of long-term (for three or more years) tariff solutions 
and a return-on-investment method with concurrent fixed corporate 
commitments pertaining to quality and further development of the 
services provided. Under such regulation, companies will get serious 
incentives to reduce costs, including energy costs, and to increase 
the efficiency of resource use because any savings are retained by 
the entity. The law provides for a mandatory transition to long-term 
regulation within the following timeframes: 
     In the electric power sector 
For the FSK (Federal Grid Company)-from 2010 
For utilities of the MRSK (interregional distribution utilities) 
holding group-within 2010 
For other electric utilities-from 2012 
    In heat supply-from 2012 
 
Provision 11 -Establishing a Single (Interagency) System for Energy 
Efficiency Information and Analysis 
 
¶11. A State Information System will be established in order to 
systematize collection and exchange of energy consumption 
information at federal, regional, and municipal levels; obtain 
analytical data on the use of energy resources and energy saving 
 
MOSCOW 00002912  003.2 OF 004 
 
 
potential; and to inform Russian Federation constituents and 
population about energy saving opportunities and best practices. 
Provision 12 -Forms of State Support for Energy Saving and 
 
Enhancement of Energy Efficiency 
 
¶12. The law provides for the possibility to apply increasing 
multipliers to the depreciation rate or investment tax credits, as 
well as reimbursement of interest paid on loans for the 
implementation of energy saving and energy efficiency enhancement 
projects. 
 
Provision 13 -Technical Regulation 
 
¶13. The law establishes several requirements which pertain to issues 
subject to technical regulation (requirements to buildings, product 
trade, marking, waste disposal). In order to coordinate with 
technical regulation legislation, a concept is prescribed under 
which provisions of this law shall be effective until respective 
technical regulations have been adopted. 
 
Provision 14 -Supervision of Implementation 
 
¶14. The law establishes an integral system of control and 
responsibility for a breach of legislative provisions in the area of 
energy saving and energy efficiency enhancement, including through 
detailed stipulation of administrative liability for a breach of law 
and identification of agencies that will monitor the violations in 
question. 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
"Laws too gentle are seldom obeyed; too severe, seldom executed" 
(American proverb) 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
¶15. (U) Even a law perfectly written is useless unless there are 
effective mechanisms in place to implement this law. In August 2009, 
Prime Minister Putin ordered the Ministry of Economic Development 
(as lead) and several Federal Agencies to develop normative acts 
needed to implement energy efficiency legislation.  The list of 
normative acts includes 49 documents in the form of Presidential 
decrees, Government resolutions, and Federal agencies' resolutions. 
In addition, for each of the normative acts, a list of implementing 
activities outlines the responsible federal agency, and a timeframe 
for their realization. The first normative acts are to be approved 
by the Government before the end of the year. Among the first to 
come   is a Government decree to define responsibilities among 
various Federal agencies, including the Ministry of Economy, 
Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ministry of 
Regions, Federal Antimonopoly Service, Federal Tax Service, and 
others  in the area of energy saving and increase of energy 
efficiency. 
 
--------------------------------- 
Pilot Energy Efficiency Projects 
---------------------------------- 
¶16. (SBU) One way to test whether the new legislation works will be 
pilot projects that have been approved under the Presidential 
Commission for Modernization and Technological Development of 
Russia's Economy.  The first project involves installing devices to 
register and regulate energy consumption. This project, managed by 
the Complex Energy Systems Company, will be implemented in selected 
cities and apartment blocks.  Ministry of Industry and Trade is in 
charge of the second project to develop production of effective 
lighting systems in Russia. The third and fourth projects involve 
modernizing some city districts and small towns with the subsequent 
spread of their experience to other parts of the country, and the 
development of an energy-efficient social sector. Tyumen, Kazan, 
Vorkuta, Apatity, and Ekaterinburg have been selected as pilot 
cities. The fifth project deals with small-scale complex energy 
systems and the introduction of new technology in this sector. The 
sixth project will see the implementation of new work on 
superconductors and biofuel. Prospects for developing solar and 
hydrogen energy should be explored further. According to Deputy 
Minister of Economy Voskresensky, all pilot projects, with the 
 
MOSCOW 00002912  004.2 OF 004 
 
 
exception with the one on innovative technologies, will receive no 
financial support from the Federal budget.  Mechanisms such as ESCO 
(Energy Service Companies) or concessions will be tested while 
implementing these projects. 
 
¶17. (SBU) Comment:  The law on energy saving and energy efficiency 
is a real breakthrough considering long-standing Russian neglect of 
energy saving and energy efficiency issues.  However, implementation 
is a concern.  Assuming the law is put on force, and all by-laws are 
approved on time, much will depend on whether the government will be 
able to manage such a complicated task.  Thus far, coordination 
among the various government agencies involved is not very good. 
 
¶18. (SBU) The government rejected the idea of creating a single 
agency which would be responsible for implementation of the energy 
efficiency legislation and all related programs. Having energy 
efficiency responsibilities disbursed among various agencies without 
clear responsibilities, constant coordination, and strong leadership 
could make implementation of the law quite difficult.  In addition 
to the organization structure, it would be important to have the 
energy efficiency legislation synchronized with other legislation, 
such as legislation on heat supply, technical regulation and others. 
 
¶19. (SBU) Another concern is that the law is heavily focused on 
residential, communal and budget-funded sectors; while providing 
very little stimulus to private businesses to enhance their energy 
efficiency.  According to Deputy Minister of Economic Development 
Voskresensky, this was done on purpose because the government 
believes that the main stimulus for businesses is the plan for 
energy price liberalization and no other stimuli are needed. And 
last, but not least, the government will have to make an enormous 
effort in order to educate the population to effectively use energy 
resources. Radically changing people's mentality is probably the 
major task of the new energy efficiency legislation. End comment. 
BEYRLE