Armenia's energy system undergone "certain changes" after loss of Nagorno-Karabakh, says minister

YEREVAN, November 28. /ARKA/. Talking to journalists on the sidelines of the Energy Week in Armenia forum, Armenian Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Gnel Sanosyan said certain changes have taken place in Armenia’s energy system after the loss of Nagorno-Karabakh.

According to him, power-generating facilities in Armenia not only satisfy the domestic demand, but also have capacity to produce electricity for exports.

‘Moreover, we have the potential to increase exports - our plants can generate much more electricity," he said when asked whether Armenia has suffered a big loss in terms of energy resources after the loss of Nagorno-Karabakh. 

Sanosyan noted there are two options to solve the issue of excessive electricty production-: the development of the economy, which implies an increase in electricity consumption, and the second option is export.

Currently, Armenia sells electricity to Georgia (if there is demand from their side), as well as supplies to Iran under the "Gas in exchange for electricity" scheme, receiving natural gas through the Iran-Armenia pipeline.

The energy system of Nagorno-Karabakh was until recently fully integrated into the energy system of Armenia. However, as a result of the 44-day war in 2020, when Azerbaijan used heavy military equipment, UAVs and prohibited weapons, more than 35 hydroelectric power plants of various capacity and several hydroelectric power plants under construction appeared under Azerbaijani control.

After the blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh by Azerbaijan from December 2022 until the armed attack of September 19-20, 2023, an accident was provoked on the only high-voltage power line that supplied electricity from Armenia to Artsakh. The electricity needs of Artsakh residents were met only by the Sarsang hydroelectric power plant. --0--