Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed decree adding four key energy companies and Rosneft to the list of Russian strategic enterprises likely to remain under state control and not be privatized.
The four energy companies are the Federal Grid Company, the IDGC Holding, RusHydro and Systems Operator.
The companies, created after the break-up of Russia’s former electricity holding company RAO UES were initially put on a list of strategic companies, but RusHydro, which controls Russia’s hydroelectricity generation assets, was in 2011 put on a list of assets to be privatized in three years.
Rosneft was initially put on the list of Russian strategic companies as part of the Rosneftegaz holding but was later slated for possible privatization.
Putin signed the decree on May 21, a day before the appointment of his close ally Igor Sechin to the post of Rosneft CEO was announced.