ARMENIAN POWER PRODUCTION DOWN BY 7 PERCENT

ARKA
Dec 23, 2009

YEREVAN, December 23, /ARKA/. Armenian power generating facilities
produced this year 5.680 billion KWH electricity, by 7% less than in
2008, energy and mineral resources minister Armen Movsisyan said today.

Speaking at a news conference he said the entire generated electricity
was sold. He explained the decline by the fact that mining, cement
and chemical enterprises, major power consumers, had to halt their
operations at the beginning of the year.

According to the minister, hydropower pants accounted this year for 2
billion KWh electricity. He said power generated by small hydropower
plants rose to 335 million KWH from 259 million KWh last year.

Thermal power plants produced 1.1 billion KWH electricity, down from
1.,8 billion last year.