Utility Tariffs for Churches Not To Rise

The National Committee on Regulating Energy of Ukraine considered the address of Metropolitan Volodymyr to Prime Minister Azarov with the request to restore the utility benefits for religious organizations.

In a letter of January 21 to the head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate, the following tariffs for religious organizations are specified.

Religious organizations are to pay for natural gas used at the retail prices but depending on the yearly rate of consumption:

If the scope of the used gas does not exceed 2,500 cubic meters per year and in places where gas meters were installed, UAH 725.40 are to be paid for 1,000 cubic meters, and in places without gas meters, UAH 798 for 1,000 cubic meters.

If the scope of use of the natural gas does not exceed 6,000 cubic meters per year, with the use of gas meters, UAH 1098 are to be paid for 1,000 cubic meters and UAH 1207.8 for 1,000 cubic meters are to be paid in the absence of gas meters.

If the rate of consumption does not exceed 12,000 cubic meters per year, UAH 2685.6 are to be paid for 1,000 cubic meters per year if gas meters are used and UAH 2,954.1 are to be paid in the absence of gas meters.

Gas used for production and commercial activity of religious organizations is to be paid for at the prices set for industrial consumers and other subjects of economic activity.

As for the electricity tariffs, the document specifies that Presidential Decree “On Granting Benefits to Religious Organizations” of June 22, 1994, stipulates that religious organizations are to pay for electric power used for utility and domestic purposes according to the tariffs set for the population. The tariff for religious organizations registered according to the law is 36.48 copecks for 1 kilowatt-hour (with VAT), reported Orthodoxy in Ukraine.