Technological connection is an integrated service rendered by the Company to provide for the actual connection of consumer energy receivers (power installations) of potential contractors to the power facilities of grid organizations. Technological connection services are provided to new, as well as to existing, consumers if electricity demand increases.

The structure of major technological connection consumers

Business processes - technological connection

The Company concluded 376 technological connection agreements during the reporting period, which is 50% more than in 2011, with the maximum amount of power per technological connections agreements with consumers and distribution grid companies set at 2.78 GW, a 23% increase over the previous year's level.

In 2012, the Company implemented the following major technological connection projects:

Technological connection of mining and processing facilities:

• ESPO-I, II Expansion, Russia’s Far East (133.7 MW);
• RN-Yuganskneftegaz, the Tyumen Region (12.9 MW).

Technological connection of residential projects:

• RGS Real Estate, St. Petersburg (34 MW, Stage 1).

Technological connection of manufacturing companies:

• The Seversk Pipe Plant, the Sverdlovsk Region (18 MW);
• The Hyundai Plant, the Primorsky Region (3,5 MW);
• Tulacement, the Tula Region (40 MW)
• The Eurocement Group plant, the Voronezh Region (37 MW);
• The Serebryansk Cement Plant, the Ryazan Region (33,6 MW);
• NLMK-Kaluga electrometallurgical plant, the Kaluga Region (42 MW).

We are actively participating in the important Russian problem of increasing accessibility to the energy infrastructure, carrying out an action plan "Improving accessibility to energy infrastructure," which was approved by the Russian Government. It provides for reducing the timing and stages for technological connections. Our task is to synchronize the development of the industry in different Russian regions with the potential of the backbone electric grid complex.

To raise the awareness of the applicants and to ensure the trans parency of technological connection services, our Company has launched a new information portal, "Technologi cal connection services", where potential applicants can get online access to information on technological connections, learn about the geographical location of the main substations and apply for technologi cal connections. Launching the portal was another step towards developing long-term planning and real-time interaction in coordinating with regional authorities the need to expand power grid capacity and to avoid over-investment risks.