摘要:The paper presents a synthesis of research results on the development of scientific and methodo-logical support for the comprehensive solution of the main technical, economic and organizational problems of designing, functioning and development of modern district heating systems (DHS). These studies were conducted at the Melentiev Energy Systems Institute of SB RAS (Irkutsk city) by the scientific team of the Laboratory of Heat Supply Systems. Within the framework of the developed scientific and methodological support, the following basic problems were solved: optimization of levels of district heating in DHS with feasibility study for connecting new consumers, selection of optimal forms and models of heating market for DHS, comprehensive analysis and ensuring (optimization) reliability of DHS taking into account the fuel supply of heating sources (HS), and other additional problems. Based on the developed scientific and methodological ensuring following practical researches were carried out on existing DHS schemes of cities of the Irkutsk region: optimal management of DHS in Angarsk, Irkutsk region, taking into account the diverging interests of heating market participants; determination of the optimal scale of development of the existing DHS in Irkutsk based on the optimization of the effective heat supply radius taking into account the reliability of heating to consumers; comprehensive reliability analysis of DHS in Shelekhov of Irkutsk region, taking into account the fuel supply to HS.