ARMENIAN ELECTRICITY PRODUCTION DOWN 7% IN 2009

Interfax
Dec 22 2009
Russia

Armenia produced 5.680 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity in 2009,
7% less than in 2008, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Armen
Movsisyan said at a press conference on Tuesday.

Output declined on lower demand from industry. Hydroelectric
stations produced 2 billion kWh, including 0.335 billion kWh at small
hydroelectric stations, up from 0.259 billion kWh last year.

"The policy on small hydroelectric stations is bearing fruit.

Output in the segment has increased 150%-200% in the last few years.

We plan to maximally utilize our hydroelectric potential," Movsisyan
said.

Optimization of the dispatching scheme helped to substantially reduce
output from thermal electric stations, to 1.1 billion kWh from 1.8
billion kWh in 2008.

Movsisyan did not specify total output at Armenia’s nuclear power
plant.