Wholesalers of the Navoi region purchasing natural gas from Uztransgaz JSC appealed to the territorial administration of the Antimonopoly Committee with a complaint that Uztransgaz deducted funds from their subscriber account for unused gas, justifying these actions by order of Uztransgaz JSC dated 09.22.2015 No.-654 ” On further improvement of the system for selling natural gas to wholesale consumers through industrial collectors. ”
For a detailed study of the case, the Navoi territorial administration of the AMC made a request to the regional branch of Uztransgaz JSC to provide all the information. The supplier entered into contracts with wholesale consumers, that contradict the legislation, taking as a basis the provisions specified in the order of Uztransgaz JSC dated September 22, 2015 No. 654, which states that the difference arising from the calculation of natural gas volumes from an industrial collector to gas compressor stations at the point of gas pipeline connection, should be paid by gas stations. This in itself implies payment by consumers for unused natural gas.
According to the results of the study, it was revealed that in violation of the rules of the “Rules for the use of natural gas” approved by the Cabinet of Ministers on January 12, 2018, Uztransgaz JSC received an unjustified income in the amount of 1 billion 592 million 260 thousand 500 soums from 35 wholesale consumers of the region for unused 1 million 756 thousand 356 m3 of natural gas.
The AMC opened a case against “Uztransgaz” and the Navoi territorial department for violation of the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On Natural Monopolies” (Articles 15 and 16) and by decision of the Special Commission, the violator was ordered to return the unjustified income to consumers within a month. However, Uztransgaz JSC did not comply with the order.
In order to protect consumer rights, the Navoi Territorial Administration of the Committee applied to the court so that Uztransgaz JSC would comply with the order and return the money to consumers.
The claim was considered by the Karmani Interdistrict Economic Court. As a result of consideration, the court ruled that the defendant should return 1 billion 477 million 732 thousand soums to consumers.
Press Office of the Antimonopoly Committee