Gazprom PJSC has connected 842,000 new users to Russia’s natural gas infrastructure during 2023.

The company said in a media release that in 2023 Russian residents have signed some 1.081 million contracts with national gas infrastructure expansion operator Gazprom Gazifikatsiya, regional gas infrastructure expansion operators and independent gas distribution entities (GDEs).

Gazprom said it has brought pipeline gas to the boundaries of private households and boiler houses of medical facilities and educational entities at no cost to the consumers.

Out of the 1.081 new contracts signed, more than 842,000 (or 77.9 percent) have already been performed: gas pipelines have been laid to the boundaries of households. Three quarters of these works were performed by the GDEs of the Gazprom Group, the company said.

The constituent entities of the Russian Federation provide persons entitled to benefits with subsidies for the construction of gas pipelines within the boundaries of land plots, as well as for the installation of in-house gas equipment. According to the instruction of President Vladimir Putin, this kind of financial aid is provided in the amount of at least RUB 100,000 ($1,087) per household, Gazprom said.

Gazprom said that Gazifikatsiya and regional authorities are continuing a broad awareness campaign to inform the population about the procedure and advantages of additional gas grid expansion.