Tuesday, August 23 2016 11:04

ArmInfo. Iran-Armenia electricity exchange will be tripled with the completion of the third transmission line between the two countries, said an official.  Vice President of Iran Power and Water Industries Equipment and Services Export Company (Sunir) Masoud Hojjat said the construction of the third power transmission line between Iran and Armenia has shown a physical progress of 20 percent, Mehr News Agency reported.

He noted the third transmission line is being established at a cost of EUR107.9 million. He added that an Iranian bank has made EUR83 million available and this has accelerated the project.  Pointing to the role of power exchange in developing trade between Iran and Armenia, he stated, "At present, the Armenian side is also offering excellent cooperation in the construction of the transmission line."

Hojjat underlined that the ongoing project is part of the energy transmission line linking Iran to Russia.  Once the project becomes operational, electricity exchange between Iran and Armenia will increase from 300 MW to 1,000 MW, he noted.

The project, he said, will connect power grids of Russia, Georgia and Armenia to Iran and the entire construction and implementation phases are now being carried out by Iranian contractors.  "Approximately 730 electrical transmission towers will be installed along a 275-kilometer route," said the official, noting, "Given the satisfactory funding, the project will be completed and put to stream within the stipulated period."

SUNIR (Iran) has received official permit to build a 400KV Iran-Armenia power transmission line. The decision on it was taken during the Government's meeting on April 28. The permit was provided under the memorandum signed between Armenia and Iran in May 2006. The line will be put into service in 2019. From the latter a new 400KV power transmission line will be laid to Georgia under another project (The total financing will be 303mln EUR).  The construction of the third transmission line with a capacity of 400MW will last for half a year.  The agreement on construction of the third line was signed in 2004 but because of sanctions and lack of financing the construction was postponed. The construction of power transmission line with a 275km length will allow increasing the capacity from current 350MW to 1000 MW.