Gazprom Armenia applies to Public Services Regulatory Commission to reduce gas tariff

ArmInfo. Gazprom Armenia has submitted an application to the Public Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC) for reducing tariffs on gas for the local consumers, Spokesperson of the Commission Mariam Stepanyan told ArmInfo's correspondent on April 29. She said that the specified reduction of the gas tariffs from 156 to 146.7 AMD per 1 cu m. concerns the households consuming up to 10 thsd cu m of gas per month The operator also suggests revising the gas tariff for the subscribers consuming over 10 thsd cu m of gas.

Mariam Stepanyan informed that according to Armenia's Law  "On Energy" the Commission revises the tariff (reaffirms or changes it) and issues a decree within 90 days after receiving the licensed entity's application for revision.  The representative of the Commission informed that taking into consideration the significance of the issue the decision will be made in shortest time possible.

As it was earlier reported Gazprom Armenia informed in its statement on April 26 that it intends to apply to the Public Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC) to reduce the gas tariffs. Gazprom Armenia reported that it suggested reducing the gas tariffs for households from 156 to 146.7 AMD per 1 cu m. The operator said that the specified reduction concerns subscribers consuming up to 10 thsd cu m of gas per month (households and a part of small and medium businesses). The operator suggests reducing the gas tariff for the subscribers consuming over 10 thsd cu m of gas from 276.98 to 257.56 USD in AMD equivalent (at the AMD/USD exchange rate as of the 25th day of the previous month. The tariff includes VAT). 

To recall, on April 7, during Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev's visit to Armenia, an agreement was reached to reduce the Russian gas price in Armenia to $150 per 1,000 cu m. Armenian Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan told reporters that the two countries' governments have already signed the relevant document. At the same time, he failed to answer the question whether the gas price will be reduced for the Armenian consumers as well. "That issue is to be additionally discussed," he said. To note, the Russian gas price for Armenia is currently $165 USD per 1,000 cu m.  However, the consumers pay $318 at the current exchange rate, and the large consumers - subscribers purchasing over 10,000 cu m monthly - pay $277 per 1,000 cu m.