As a result of the Artsakh-Azerbaijani war, the Artsakh Republic lost not only territories, but also hydroelectric power plants located in those territories - 40% of the installed capacity of HPPs.
"Before the war, there were 187.5 MW hydropower plants operating in Artsakh, after the war there were only 75 MW hydropower plants left," said Hakob Vardanyan, RA Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure, at the sitting of the Standing Committee on Eurasian Integration held on January 12.
Committee Chair Mikael Melkumyan mentioned that Artsakh consumes 590 million kWh of electricity and should have provided 330 million kWh of electricity to Armenia in 2021. The question arises how the lack of electricity in Artsakh will affect the hydropower balance of the two countries in the current situation.
Deputy Minister Hakob Vardanyan said that the 75 MW installed capacity includes Sarsang HPP - 50 MW, 4 HPPs - 12-13 MW (Teghi 1, 2, 3, 4) and one HPP with a installed capacity of 12 MW. "According to the initial energy balance for 2021, it was envisaged that Armenia would import 330 million kWh of electricity from the Artsakh Republic. After the well-known events, the electricity balance will be replaced by the electricity produced at the expense of the internal resources of the Republic of Armenia, mainly the electricity produced by thermal power plants, which will be more expensive than the electricity imported from Artsakh.
"Electricity imported from Artsakh was equal to the price of electricity produced in small hydropower plants in Armenia, plus 7% for transportation and loss costs," he said. According to Hakob Vardanyan, Artsakh currently imports electricity from Armenia on a non-permanent basis to regulate energy regimes.
"Theoretically, there may not be a need to import electricity to the Artsakh Republic, because the time is coming when the 75 MW installed capacity can be fully operational due to its seasonal nature, some of which can be exported to Armenia and imported in another season. At the end of the year, we will be able to assess whether or not there will be any need. It will not be much if needed, as consumption will fall by about 30% due to the loss of space. It depends on how many people will return there and which industrial enterprises located in the territory of present-day Artsakh will continue to operate or be reopened," he said.
Hakob Vardanyan said that the whole heating system in Artsakh has not been completely restored yet. Consumption is currently quite high - 47-55 MW/h, which is equivalent to the pre-war figure.
January 12, 2021 at 18:45