United Press International/Washington Times, DC
Jan 22 2005
UPI Watch
Armenia’s first ever wind power plant
The Armenian government will soon inaugurate Armenia’s first-ever
wind power plant. The wind farm is being built in the northern Lori
district with equipment donated by Iran; the plant’s four wind
turbines will have a combined capacity of slightly over 10 megawatts,
enough to meet most of the electricity needs of the regional capital
Vanadzor and its surrounding villages. Aleksandr Kocharian, who heads
a department on renewable power at the Armenian Energy Ministry, said
that the $3 million project will be completed “in a few months.”
Armenia’s Metsamor nuclear power station currently provides nearly 40
percent of Armenia’s electricity output. Metsamor’s future is
uncertain is due to safety U.S. and EU concerns. Yerevan has been
under intense Western pressure to shut down the Soviet-era Metsamor
plant as early as possible and is seaching for alternatives.. One of
several options being considered is increased use of Armenia’s
fast-flowing mountain rivers that already account for 20 percent of
power generation through hydroelectric power. Kocharian believes that
Armenia has the potential to meet as much as 70 percent of its energy
needs with renewable sources by 2020, adding that 16 small
hydroelectric plants have recently been built. Kocharian added that
the Armenian and Iranian governments to jointly build a large
hydroelectric facility on the Arax river on the countries’ borders.