IRAN-ARMENIA GAS PIPELINE TO EXPAND

PRESS TV
Fri, 12 Sep 2008 09:39:50 GMT

Armenia’s Minister of Energy Armen Movsisyan says the capacity
of Iran-Armenia gas pipeline project will increase to 2.5 billion
cubic meters.

This would become feasible by increasing the capacity at the
Kadzharan-Yerevan section of the pipeline by November of 2008, Armen
Movsisyan said according to Interfax.

Mosvsisyan noted the main construction work on this section of the
pipeline is already completed and its testing will be initiated soon.

The Iran-Armenia gas pipeline project officially opened on March 19,
2007 by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Armenian President
Robert Kocharian and would provide Armenia with an alternative to
the gas it now imports from Russia.

The 140-km pipeline is estimated to cost of $220 million for the
two countries.

Based on the signed agreement between the two countries, for each
cubic meter of Iranian gas, Armenia will return 3 kilowatt hours of
electricity to Iran.

In case of suspension or limitations of Russian gas export to Armenia,
the country may commence importing gas from Iran before beginning of
the regular supply of the Iranian gas, the Minister said.