Optimisation of Illuminance of Municipal Facilities and Protection of Retail Power Consumers: Interdependence of Processes

Abstract

The article characterises the main directions of optimisation of electric power market legal regulation including such its specific segment as illumination of cities within the context of determination of resources for increase of electric energy quality, its saving and protection of consumers (subscribers). Interdependence of the processes of enforcement of the rights and legal interests of electric energy consumers and one of the most energy demanding factors, lighting of municipal facilities, was discovered. It was found that guarantees for electric energy consumers specified by art. 38 of the Federal Law УOn Electric EnergyФ (prohibition of consumption limitations including the so called rolling blackouts, etc.) are detailed by subordinate legislation some items of which require clarification of legal categories of relations between the terms УwholesaleФ and УretailФ market of electric power. The opinions of the Supreme Court announced in 2019, which provide higher level of legal protection of consumers as the weakest party of legal relations in the examined market, were subject to scientific analysis; it is justified that, in view of the requirements of art. 126 of the Constitution of Russia, they shall become a target for elimination of numerous contradictions in court practice regarding this matter. Specific propositions on amendments (modification) of some federal laws and acts of the Government of the Russian Federation are specified.