CONSUMERS' NONPAYMENTS MAY TRIGGER ENERGY CRISIS








MOSCOW, MARCH 5, RIA NOVOSTI -- Consumers' non-payments do not allow Khabarovskenergo Co. to timely settle accounts with suppliers of coal and fuel oil and may touch off an energy crisis in the Khabarovsk region, RIA Novosti was told on Monday at Unified Energy Systems Co., or UES, Russia's electricity giant. 


	"With the low payment discipline of consumers AO Khabarovskenergo cannot streamline fuel supplies in March-April this year", said UES. This is why "power workers cannot guarantee uninterrupted service during the autumn-winter maximal load". 


	The consumers' debt is sky-high, exceeding 4.725 billion roubles as of February 11.