ArmInfo.Armenia cannot be satisfied with the speed of construction of the third Iran-Armenia power line. Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures of the Republic of Armenia Gnel Sanosyan stated this on July 26 at the discussion of the main directions of the country's draft state budget for 2024 in the RA National Assembly.
"We are trying to find some solutions with Iranian partners," Sanosyan noted, adding at the same time that the second stage of the tender for the construction of the Armenia-Georgia power transmission line is starting, following which a construction company will be determined that will implement the project to create an Iran-Armenia-Georgia energy corridor. In particular, it is necessary to build not only high-voltage lines, but also an electrical substation in Ayrum.
Sanosyan also said that next year the implementation of the energy efficiency and energy saving program will continue, for which there are already appropriate funds in the 2024 state budget draft. Through this program, the government provides financial assistance to owners of apartments and houses who use innovative solutions to renovate their homes with the use of energy saving elements. The program has become widespread, and over 3,000 families have become its beneficiaries. Given the success of the project, which expires by the end of this year, a decision was made to extend the program for one year.
In 2024, Sanosyan continued, the infrastructure modernization program of High Voltage Electric Network CJSC will continue. In particular, there are electrical substations in Vanadzor, Ashnak, Lichk, Ararat, where work is to be done to modernize them.
In general, as the minister noted, it is planned to allocate 55.9 billion drams for the energy development in 2024, most of which is represented by the state budget deficit.
Earlier, ArmInfo reported that Armenia is carrying out a barter deal with Iran, according to which it receives 1 cubic meter of Iranian gas in exchange for 3 kWh of electricity, which makes it possible to receive 1 kWh of electricity almost free of charge. With the construction of the third transmission line, these volumes will increase significantly. As expected, the exchange project will also involve electricity from a new thermal unit with a capacity of 250 MW, opened at the end of November 2021 in Yerevan. However, the project to build the North-South energy corridor, designed to connect the electric power systems of Iran, Armenia, Georgia and Russia, has faced a number of problems. According to the current situation, it is implemented by 70%. If the completion date of the Iran-Armenia power line project was previously announced the end of 2018, at the end of December 2021, the responsible bodies already announced that the line would be ready by the end of 2023. The main contractor for the construction of the 400-kilovolt Iran-Armenia power line is the Iranian Sunir company. The total cost of the project is $107.9 million, of which 77% will be provided by the Export Development Bank of Iran, and 23% by Sunir. As for the Armenia-Georgia power transmission line, the parties have not yet begun its construction.
