VOL. XLV

No 48

2-December-2002

CASPIAN

CPC Seeks To Avoid Being Declared A Natural Monopoly

Russias Federal Energy Commission (FEC) is considering whether to declare the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) crude pipeline a natural monopoly, a move that would bring the 1,560km pipeline under Russian control and contravene the original 1997 agreement that created the consortium. Declaring the CPC pipeline a natural monopoly would allow Russia to boost tariffs at its discretion and thus protect...