PIPELINE DAMAGE IN GEORGIA HALTS RUSSIAN GAS SUPPLY TO ARMENIA

Civil Georgia
Jan 9 2009
Georgia

Transit of the Russian gas to Armenia has been suspended after the
pipeline was damaged in southern Georgia, the Energy Ministry said
on January 9.

"Gas pipeline has been damaged; gas leak is significant so this morning
we fully suspended gas transit to Armenia," Alexandre Khetaguri,
the Georgian Energy Minister, said on January 9. "Repair works are
now ongoing and according to the preliminary estimations the repair
works will take five days."

He also said that both the Russian and Armenian sides had been notified
about the matter.

As a transit fee Georgia receives 10% of total amount of gas transited
by Russia to Armenia via Georgia.