ARMENIAN MINISTRY OF ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES EFFECTIVELY IMPLEMENTS 2008 PROGRAM
NOYAN TAPAN
Dec 23, 2008
YEREVAN
The RA ministry of energy and natural resources effectively implemented
the 2008 program, the minister Armen Movsisian stated at the December
22 press conference to summarize 2008’s results. In his words, the
energy system of Armenia is well-prepared for 2008-2009 winter and
the system will have no problems during its activity in that period.
As regards the programs implemented in 2008, the minister said that
they succeeded in connecting Kajaran-Ararat section of Iran-Armenia
gas pipeline to the country’s distribution system six months earlier
than it was planned.
Besides, the construction of the platform of Yerevan Thermal Power
Plant’s steam-and-gas unit with a capacity of 275 megawatts is being
done according to the schedule. The tests of the gas turbine to be
installed was started by Alstom company (Germany), and Armenian experts
will also take part in the tests. It is envisaged transporting the gas
turbine to Armenia in mid 2009, and after assembly work in June-July,
it will be connected to the Armenian energy system in 2010.
Speaking about work of the Russian-Armenian company founded in 2008 for
geological survey of uranium mines, mining and processing in Armenia,
the minister said that the company began conducting geological
physical and geological chemical survey, and drilling operations
will start in 2009 which will allow to receive full information
on uranium resources in Armenia by late 2009. The minister did not
rule out that Armenian nuclear fuel will be used in the new power
unit of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant. It was mentioned that the
feasibility study of the new unit’s construction has been completed,
and a tender for a company to manage the construction will be held
soon, with its results to be announced in late February 2009.
A. Movsisian informed those present that at the recent sitting of
the Armenian-Iranian intergovernmental commission held in Tehran,
an agreement was reached to build a pipeline 250 mm in diameter
for transporting processed oil products in the Tabriz-Yeraskh
direction. According to the minister, an Armenian-Iranian joint
venture with equal shares will be created for implementing this
200-240 million dollar project in two years.
Construction work will begin in the spring of 2009. The current
platforms of Iran-Armenia gas pipeline will be used by 60-70% during
the construction of the above mentioned pipeline. The minister also
announced that an investment program on a capacity growth was launched
at the Tabriz processing plant. A project to build an oil refinery
in Yeraskh is also on the agenda.