THE RENEWABLE ENERGY AND ENERGY SAVING FOUNDATION OF ARMENIA (REESF) BOARD OF TRUSTEES MET AT THE OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT, PRESIDED AT BY BOT CHAIRMAN, RA PRIME MINISTER TIGRAN SARGSYAN
Thu rsday, 12 February 2009
The Foundation seeks to facilitate investments in the spheres of
renewable energy and energy saving and promote the development of
renewable energy and energy saving markets in Armenia.
Based on the comments and proposals made during the discussion, the
Board of Trustees approved the 2008 REESF performance report, the
report on the fulfillment of the assignments given at the previous
meeting.
REESF Director Tamara Babayan said that a number of projects launched
in 2006 continued to be implemented during 2008, inclusive of the
World Bank-supported Urban Heating Lending Project, the "Global
Environmental Action" Trust Fund-financed Renewable Energy Grant
Project, as well as the World Bank and RAGP-co-financed Gas and Heat
Supply Grant Project. Ms. Babayan gave information on program budgets
and compliance indicators, procurements and overall performance.
The REESF Director noted that all of the assignments issued at the
previous meeting have been complied with in full and in time. In
particular, she advised that preparations for the Geothermal Project
have been completed already. Talks were held between the World Bank and
the Armenian delegation on January 29, 2009, leading to a co-financing
arrangement with USD 1.5 million available from the Bank as a grant
and USD 300.000 allocated from the Republic of Armenia State budget
(17% of total expenditures). The program is due to be completed in
2010. Tamara Babayan said that considering that the program will be
carried out on a seasonal basis, the Foundation has already launched
a tender process with a view to signing the necessary contracts as
soon as the program is effective.
Account taken of the observations and suggestions made during the
meeting, the Board of Trustees passed a number of decisions concerning
the Urban Heating Project, the procurement plans of Renewable Energy
and Gas and Heat Supply programs, consolidated program budgets,
the Foundation’s agency remuneration and maintenance cost estimate
for FY 2009, the list of vulnerable households eligible under the
Renewable Energy and Energy Saving Program, heat (heating and hot
water) supply rehabilitation in 7 urban boarding schools under the
Urban Heating Project, as well as concerning the decisions passed
on the rulings of tender commissions dealing with the purchase of
commodities, works and services for the Installation of Individual
Gas Heaters in Vulnerable Households program.
The Board of Trustees was provided information on the loan proceeds
extended to Arguishti Condominium as a preparations advance for pilot
projects under the Urban Heating Program. It has been decided to
exempt 0Athe Condominium from fines and penalties only upon repayment
of the credit sum.