Huge increase of thermal conductivity ri is observed at the phase transitio
n in stoichiometric NaV(2)O5. This anomaly decreases and gradually goes awa
y with deviation from the stoichiometry in Na1-xV2O5 (x = 0.01, 0.02, 0.03,
and 0.04). These properties are compared with behaviour of pure and Zn-dop
ed CuGeO3 where only modest kinks in k(T) curves have been observed at spin
-Peierls transition. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.