Russian households are set to face the largest increase in housing and utility tariffs in 17 years, with nationwide price adjustments taking effect from October 1, according to a government decree.
The sharpest increases in average tariffs will be recorded in the Stavropol region, where they are set to rise by 22%, followed by Dagestan at 19.7%. Tariffs will increase by 17.5% in the Tambov region and 17.2% in the Tyumen region.
In Moscow, housing and utility tariffs are due to rise by 15%, while St. Petersburg will see an increase of 14.6%.
Regional authorities will also be allowed to raise tariffs above the basic rates in individual municipalities. In the Perm region, for example, the standard indexation rate is set at 15%, but municipalities may apply an additional “deviation” of up to 14.9%.
In the Tver region, tariffs will be indexed by 13.7%, with a further increase of up to 9.9% permitted in some municipalities.
The widest potential increase will be in parts of the Stavropol region, where the basic 22% indexation can be supplemented by a 21.9% “deviation,” allowing tariffs to rise by almost 1.5 times in some municipalities.
By Tamilla Hasanova
