SHORT POWER SUPPLIES IN GEORGIA REASON FOR POWER REDUCTION IN ARMENIA IN 2006

YEREVAN, September 7. /ARKA/. The reason for reduction of power production in Armenia in 2006 was short power supplies in Georgia, reported RA Minister of Energy Armen Movsisian. “Power production reduced in Armenia in 2006 as compared to 2005. The reason for this is that Armenia decreased the power supply in Georgia,” he said.

Large-scaled operations are carried out in energy sphere in Georgia, particularly, the Inguri NPP is being reconstructed, the Minister said.

As regards Armenia’s domestic market, power consumption in Armenia decreased by 136mln kWh in 2006 as compared to 2005.

“The exchange fluctuation also affected the sphere of energy. It influenced both on the exports of Armenian electric power and the imports of energy to Armenia,” Movsisian said.

He pointed out that another negative factor influencing the sphere of energy in the country was the growth of prices of raw materials used in the sphere of energy, particularly, of copper and aluminum.

5940.8mln kWh energy was produced in Armenia in January-December 2006 – a 5.9% decrease as compared to the corresponding period in 2005.

The volume of electric power generated in hydropower plants increased by 2.8%. Electric power generation was decreased by 19.3% and 2.8% in thermal power plants and the Armenian nuclear power plant (NPP) respectively. About 2640.3mln kWh energy was generated in the Armenian NPP in January-December 2006 (44.4% out of the total volume of power generation in Armenia in the reporting period). 1475.2mln kWh (24.8%) energy was generated in thermal power plants, 1822.7mln kWh (30.7%) in hydropower plants.

Besides, 2.6mln kWh electric power was generated by wind power plants (0.1% of the total power generation in Armenia).

According to the RA national Statistic Service, 381.4 Gcal thermal energy was generated in Armenia in 2006 – a 20.9% decrease as compared to the corresponding period in 2005. Z. Sh. –0--