SYNCHRONIZATION OF ARMENIAN, RUSSIAN ENERGY SYSTEMS TO TAKE ABOUT 3 YEARS

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
March 28 2006

Yerevan, March 28. /ARKA/. The synchronization of the Armenian and
Russian energy systems will take about three years, Yevgeny Dod,
Director General of the “INTER RAO UES” CJSC, told reporters in
Moscow. He pointed out that synchronization of the Armenian and
Russian energy systems first of all requires the establishment of
communication between Russia and Georgia.

Dod stressed that this is “system and global” issue. He added that
the Armenian and Russian energy systems will be synchronized through
Georgia.

“The construction of a transmission line between Georgia and Armenia
is rather expensive. Georgia will carry out construction on its side,
while Armenia on its side,” Dod said. He expressed conviction that
synchronization will successfully be completed in case of stale work.

In the USSR, the Armenian energy system’s synchronous operation with
the other Soviet republics was ensured through Azerbaijan.

Fourteen of 15 CISA countries (except for Armenia) had synchronously
operating energy systems until 2003. That year Turkmenistan withdrew
from the CIS integrated energy system.