"Lorva Amrots" is again trying to get a WP to build a small hydropower plant on the Dzoraget river prohibited by RA government's resolution.
"Lorva Amrots" LLC has applied to the Ministry of Environment to obtain a water use permit (WP) for the construction of a hydropower plant in the administrative area of Agarak village of Lori Berd community, Lori Region, on the Dzoraget river. It is planned to organize a discussion of the document on September 22, 2022 at 16:00 at 3rd Government House, 5th floor, room 541.
Government resolution 488-Ն on April 8, 2021 “ON DETERMINING LIST OF RIVERS SERVING AS SPAWNING SITES FOR RED-LISTED OR ENDEMIC FISH SPECIES OR OVERLOADED WITH DERIVATION PIPELINES BY 40 PERCENT AND OVER WHEN APPLICATIONS FOR WATER USE PERMITS FOR NEWLY CONSTRUCTED SMALL HYDROPOWER PLANTS MUST BE REJECTED” prohibits the construction of a SHPP on the Dzoraget.
On 29.06.2021, RA Administrative Court upheld the claim by "Lorva Amrots" LLC against Environment Ministry obliging the Ministry to issue temporary water use permits for the construction of "Loribird-1" and "Loribird-2" small hydroelectric power plants to "Lorva Amrots" LLC. On July 30, 2021, Environment Ministry issued two water use permits for the purpose of construction to "Lorva Amrots" LLC, the terms of which expired on July 30, 2022.
It should be noted that "Lorva Amrots" LLC filed a lawsuit against RA government in the RA administrative court. According to court case N VD/9255/05/21, the company requests the court to declare invalid Clause 19 of Appendix to the Dzoraget River of Government resolution 488-Ն on April 8, 2021 “ON DETERMINING LIST OF RIVERS SERVING AS SPAWNING SITES FOR RED-LISTED OR ENDEMIC FISH SPECIES OR OVERLOADED WITH DERIVATION PIPELINES BY 40 PERCENT AND OVER WHEN APPLICATIONS FOR WATER USE PERMITS FOR NEWLY CONSTRUCTED SMALL HYDROPOWER PLANTS MUST BE REJECTED”.
The court admitted the claim to proceedings. Thus, Dzoraget remains on the list of rivers prohibited for the construction of small hydropower plants. Under these circumstances, granting a permit for the construction of "Loribird-1" and "Loribird-2" small hydropower plants on Dzoraget will violate RA Government's decision No. 488-N dated on 04.08.2021.
September 20, 2022 at 13:44