ARMENIAN PRESIDENT VISITS YEREVAN THERMAL POWER PLANT

/ARKA/
September 28, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, September 28. /ARKA/. On Saturday President Serzh Sargsyan
visited the Yerevan Thermal Power Plant to observe the construction
of the new power unit of the plant the presidential press service
said to ARKA.

The construction of the new power unit began on July 30 2008 and is
to be completed by April 2010.

The construction of the new power unit will allow to raise the
reliability of Armenia’s power grid, to optimize energy flows, which
will in turn cut energy losses at energy distribution stations,
the presidential press office said.

Speaking to journalists on the site, Energy Minister Armen Movsisyan
said 75% of the construction work was over. "It will be a modern
plant with a 272 MW installed capacity to generate electric power at
twice-reduced consumption of gas’ the minister said.

"The modern European technologies will enable to half the consumption
of natural gas which is crucial under the price increase," the
minister said, adding that the price policy as well as generating
capacity will be effective and flexible.

The Japanese Bank of International Cooperation (JBIC) provided Armenia
with a $240 million loan to back the construction of the combined-cycle
power plant.

Construction process, from design to material and equipment procurement
to engineering and installation is being handled by Korean GS Engine
ering & Construction firm that won a US$218 million project from
Yerevan Thermal Power Plant.

The Yerevan Thermal Power Plant was built in 1963-64. Its designed
capacity is 550 megawatt.

Currently only one of its seven units with a 50 megawatt capacity
operates.