Russian natural-gas monopoly OAO Gazprom plans to raise the price of gas it sells to Europe next year by almost 15 percent, Vedomosti newspaper reports.

Vedomosti, citing a draft 2007 budget for the gas company, said Gazprom forecasts gas prices of around $293 per 1,000 cubic meters for shipment to Europe next year. That’s up from roughly $257 in 2006.

Gazprom forecast that the higher prices should yield total revenue of $98.5 billion, with export revenues accounting for nearly half that, or $46 billion, Vedomosti reported. The company plans to export some 157.8 billion cubic meters to European countries in 2007.

The rise in prices is likely to stoke worries in European capitals, where governments are watching Moscow’s sway over European energy supplies with growing concern.

Russia currently provides 30 percent of EU energy imports, including 44 percent of gas imports.

EU leaders have pressed Russia to sign the Energy Charter, an international treaty that would respect fair trade in energy and offer foreign investors fair access to Russian oil and gas deposits and export pipelines.

However, at a summit with EU leaders in Helsinki, Finland, last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin restated his opposition to giving foreign companies easy access to his country’s energy sources or breaking up oil and gas state monopolies.

Gazprom officials could not immediately be reached to comment on the report.

Popularity: 1% [?]