Public Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC) will no longer set tariffs for small hydropower plants whose warranty period will expire. After that period, the state will not guarantee the mandatory purchase of electricity from small hydropower plants and other renewable energy stations, as in his response to EcoLur's inquiry, PSRC member S. Shahinyan informed EcoLur with his letter NՍՇ/34.3-Մ2-4/213-2022.
The letter states: "The RA Public Services Regulatory Commission informs the following about the issues raised by you in connection with the activities of small HPPs.
The letter says: "RA Public Services Regulatory Commission informs the following about the issues raised by you in connection with the activities of SHPPs.
1. According to the legislation coming into force on February 1, 2022 (SHPPs that have reached the warranty period for the mandatory purchase of electricity defined by the Law on Energy), SHPPs are classified as competitive producers, for which the Commission will not set tariffs for electricity. Considering the abovementioned, by the decision of the commission №479A dated on 29.12.2021, the tariffs for electricity supplied from SHPPs, as defined by Law on Energy, have been repealed as of February 1, 2022.
2. This guarantee is valid for a person with a license for electricity (capacity) generation within fifteen to twenty years, respectively, from the moment the first decision on setting the electricity tariff by the commission enters into force. It is not necessary to buy electricity from the mentioned stations after the end of that period. The rules provide for transitional arrangements, according to which stations that have completed the purchase guarantee period defined by law will receive mandatory BRGS status by being included in the balance group of the guaranteed supplier. The guaranteed supplier buys electricity from the mentioned stations at the minimum price set for the manufacturer providing the balancing service. Regarding the issue of termination of SHPP licenses, I would like to inform you that during the last 5 years, electricity generation licenses in SHPPs have not been terminated due to bankruptcy, as well as non-production of electricity.”
Reminder: the license of 8 small HPPs expires in 2022, the 7th will expire in 2023, and the licensing period of 1 SHPP has already expired at the end of 2021. As of October 1, 2021, according to the document on the main indicators of SHPPs producing electricity according to the licenses issued by PSRC. Starting from 2022, the number of SHPP licenses will expire each year.
January 26, 2022 at 14:34