The idea of producing gas in Moscow first arose in 1861, when German entrepreneurs Siemens and Halske proposed to the Moscow governor-general to organize gas lighting in the city. Werner Siemens and Georg Halske began their activities in Russia in the mid-19th century, working on the construction of telegraph lines.

On October 14, 1864, in the presence of the city mayor A.A. Shcherbatov, members of the Duma, and entrepreneurs, envelopes containing proposals from three bidders: Nicholson, Bukhye, and Egorov were opened. The winner was Bukhye, who offered the lowest price of 14 rubles and 50 kopecks per gas lamp per year for 2000 hours of operation. On November 11, 1864, Alexander II approved the contract for gas lighting in Moscow for A. Bukhye and N. Goldsmith, and on January 29, 1865, the Moscow Administrative Duma signed a contract with them for gas lighting in the city.

On July 24, 1865, the construction of the Moscow gas plant began behind the Kursk railway, as stipulated in the contract.

The newspaper "Moscow Vedomosti" No. 274 on December 29, 1866, reported that on December 27, the ceremonial launch of the Moscow gas plant took place and a symbolic lighting of a gas lamp occurred at the Archangel Cathedral in the Kremlin. These events were entrusted to the city mayor Prince A.A. Shcherbatov.

Despite the frost of -20°C, residents and guests of Moscow enjoyed an evening walk, admiring the gas illumination. The coat of arms of Russia illuminated the Kremlin Palace, and in Resurrection Square, the coat of arms of Moscow with the inscription "God Save the Tsar!" The illumination lasted for three days.

By January 20, 1867, about 90 km of gas networks had been laid, and 2019 lamps had been installed. In January 1867, Bukhye and Goldsmith approached the Duma with a request to transfer the contract for city lighting to the English Society. On January 23, 1867, the Administrative Duma approved the transfer of the concession for gas lighting in Moscow to the English Society City of Moscow Gas Company, Limited.

As of January 1, 1868, there were 3083 gas lamps in Moscow, and the Moscow gas plant was fully commissioned. The English Society began keeping a record of the gas lamps in Moscow from January 1, 1868, assigning a number to each lamp. The total number of all types of lamps in the city reached 9327. The Moscow gas plant was recognized as the largest in the world according to experts.