AGANBEKIAN: ARMENIA CAN BE ENERGY LEADER IN REGION

/ARKA/
September 23, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, September 23. /ARKA/. Armenia can become a regional leader
in energy sector, academician of Russian Academy of Sciences Abel
Aganbekian said.

Energy is a key point of Armenian economic efficiency, the academician
said Tuesday at a round-table discussion on main issues of Armenian
energy security.

Armenia has energy overproduction and can become a center of control
of peak energy loads in the region, Aganbekian said.

Energy surplus can be exported to neighboring regions and countries,
including Iran, Turkey, Iraq, and Georgia for additional hundreds of
millions of dollars every year. For this, energy production needs to
be developed at a high level in the country through cheaper production
methods and reduced fuel costs for generation, Aganbekian said.

"It should be done in a balanced manner so that development of domestic
energy needs for a number of power-intensive industries in the country
is considered," he said.

According to the RA National Statistical Service, a total of
3,268.5 million kilowatt-hour energy was produced in Armenia in
January-July.