According to RA Minister of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources Ashot Manukyan, during 2017 it was possible to implement a number of strategically important projects in the field of energy. This was stated in the minister’s message on the occasion of the professional holiday of energy workers.

He noted that with the loan and grant funds provided by the Russian government and with the technical support and direct participation of our partners in the “Rosatom” corporation, the program for the modernization and extension of the operation period of the second power unit of the Armenian nuclear power plant was launched. 

“As a result, we will have an unprecedented level of safety and reliability at the nuclear power plant and a 10 percent increase in production capacity,” he noted.

Continuing to enumerate, the minister said that together with the US partners, it was possible to implement the project for the construction of the Shnogh HPP with a design capacity of 76 MW designed in the Soviet years. Within the framework of the public-private cooperation, the design pre-calculation works have begun, as a result of which we will have another hydropower plant that will make the most full use of the water resources of the Debed River.

In addition, together with the American General Electric Company, modernization works of the Yerevan Thermal Power Station began. As a result, the production capacity of the operating power unit will increase by 7 MW, the efficiency will increase by 1 percent, and the specific fuel consumption will decrease. With the financing of the German development bank KfW, the construction works of the new Armenia-Georgia high-voltage power transmission line and transformer station will start next year. The construction of the second power unit of the Yerevan Thermal Power Plant with a combined steam-gas cycle was started in cooperation with the Italian company “RENCO”, the efficiency of which will reach up to 53 percent.

In addition to this, Minister Manukyan presented, the first three solar plants of production significance were put into operation in the past year, in total 128 solar photovoltaic plants were installed in Armenia. The first product was released by the Solaron factory of solar photovoltaic panels. Although the production volumes of the latter are still small, they are of great importance for the future. Armenia not only did not stay out of technological progress, but also went ahead of many countries in the process of introducing and developing solar technologies.

“The process of liberalization of the electricity market began, the free market operator was formed, the network rules and the schedule of market liberalization steps were approved. At the initiative of the “Tashir” group of companies, the most large-scale investment program of reconstruction and re-equipment in the electrical networks of Armenia began. The construction works of the 3rd overhead line of high-voltage power transmission between Armenia and Iran have resumed and are in progress. As a result of the implementation of the mentioned programs, the structure of electricity production in our country will change. the specific weight of energy produced from own renewable sources in the country’s internal consumption structure will reach 50 percent, the specific fuel cost for unit electricity production by gas plants will be reduced by more than 20 percent, the specific weight of nuclear energy will increase significantly,” the minister noted, emphasizing that all this will contribute to strengthening Armenia’s energy security. And as an electric energy corridor between Iran and Georgia, the role of Armenia will increase, increasing the potential of electricity export by at least 3 times.

Armenia is also not lagging behind in the development of solar and nuclear technologies. The minister is confident that their application in our country will lead to a qualitatively new level of energy security.

“Last year, Armenia became the chairing country of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency and, at the same time, submitted an application for the chairing country of the Energy Charter Conference. Our country has once again assured the world that it is committed to continue the peaceful use of nuclear energy, as well as its self-proclaimed goals of “green energy” development, improvement of energy efficiency and energy saving,” added Ashot Manukyan.