Deficit of Heat Caused by Internal Problems of Azeristiliktechizat

Despite public assurances from the deputy chairman of Azeristiliktechizat Ilham Mirzaliyev on the measures taken for the heating of residential buildings in Baku to the beginning of the heating season - November 15, continuous full-time job of all the heating boilers in the capital is not provided. In Baku November turned out to be cold, and the residents had to be heated by electric appliances until November 15, but still about 10 days after the beginning of the season there is no heat in the apartments, and the hot water supply is inadequate. In some cases, for example, in building No 5 on Narimanov Street (Yasamal district) preparation for the heating season began on 15 November, and not before, as promised I. Mirzaliyev. Complaints about poor heating were received by Turan from all districts of Baku. Problems with the heating were reported even from schools.

According to Azeristiliktechizat, in 2015 335 Baku boilers should supply heat to 3,035 residential apartment buildings. 184 schools, 123 kindergartens, 102 health facilities and 460 other objects. By regions respectively there are the following numbers: 191, 415, 103, 38, 55, and 93.

The heating company’s workers admit that this year the could not keep their promise to warm the residents and explain their problems with the lack of supply of natural gas from the state-owned company Azerigas. That department reports on three million AZN of outstanding long-term debt for the gas sold to the heating company. Gas workers warned Azeristiliktechizat of the need to pay the debt and are now supplying gas on prepayment. This is the reason of non-simultaneous and incomplete supply of heat to the residents, Azeristiliktechizat told the press.

In turn, Azeristiliktechizat complains about the lack of its own funds to pay for gas, as the population pays for the warmth on the old rate of 0.15 manat per square meter of living space. Businesses and organizations pay 0.25 manat for 1 cubic meter. This rate was set in 2011. They consider that amount insufficient and have appealed to the government to increase the fee for heating.

For comparison, the cost of heating of 1 square meter of residential apartments in November was 0.7 manats in Ukraine and Russia (as of 11.26.15).

But Azeristiliktechizat, unlike the Russian and Ukrainian colleagues, did not spend money on the purchase and construction of heat supply facilities. It repeats the story with AZAL, whose leaders complained of a lack of funds, although the purchase of aircraft and airport construction was paid by the state, not but the national airline. So is the case with Azeristiliktechizat, which in 2005-2010 received 77 million manat from the state, and in 2008-2013 it received 112 million manat for construction and other work. That means the JSC actually spends money only on the purchase of gas.

It is obvious that the company should deal first with its management and establish a modern technology of raising funds from the population without calling for workers of housing and utility offices, which have become illegal for long. Furthermore, the investigation of the newspaper Bizim Yol showed amazing consistency of the management of Azeristiliktechizat, in which tenders are won by the same companies. The leader among the winners of its tenders is HTM Holding, then West Ltd and a few other companies. -0-