Small HPPs in Armenia

EcoLur

The representatives of official bodies think that the sphere of small hydroenergy in Armenia is secured with strong prerequisites. The first one is the Scheme for Development of Small HPPs in Armenia, and then comes strong legislation, good water resources, business interests, loaning opportunities and existing control system.

The group of specialists from Nature Protection Ministry and the State Committee on Regulating Public Services came to this conclusion having taken part in the meeting on small HPPs held in Norway on 5-9 March. The trip was organized in the frames of Armenian-Norwegian program on developing small HPP for the purposes of energy security. Norsk Energy from Norwegian part, and “Hydroenergy” company from Armenian part implement the program.

The meeting participants evaluated the opinion of the official bodies in varied manners. Thus, the working group, which assessed the weak sides of the small hydroenergy in Armenia and existing risks were presented the same factors, but with the reverse assessment. For example, the assessment of water resources hasn’t been carried out for several decades, so that’s why the scheme of small HPPs has been drawn up without sufficient bases. The shortages in the legislation were also observed, such as the absence of environmental damage assessment, absence of passports of rivers, absence of good equipment and due control.

One of existing factors is public participation in the construction of small HPPs. Norwegian experience show this issue practically can’t be solved without the agreement of the community near which an HPP is constructed. Several communities are shareholders of the company producing electricity.

There is a conflict of interests, for example, with nature protection department, which are mainly connected with the amount of water taken from the river and preservation of valuable fish species spawning in rivers.

Norway has rivers where constructing any HPP is completely forbidden– a total number of 350, including specially protected territories.

Conflicts are usually solved before the construction with strict control. Under Norwegian laws, violations are punished up to criminal prosecution. So that’s why obtaining a license may last from four to five years. It’s much easier to obtain a license in Armenia. Community interests are desirable, but not mandatory. Small HPPs are constructed on the specially protected territories as well. Armenia currently has 116 operating small HPPs, and another 86 projects have obtained licenses.

March 13, 2012 at 13:43