PSRC Head:  Lower power supply rates will be set for socially vulnerable categories

ArmInfo. The Public Services Regulating Commission, initiating the power supply tariff revision, is going to implement its legal competence, Robert Nazaryan, the Head of the PSRC said to journalists in the Parliament on November 7.

According to Nazaryan's clarifications, upon the submission of  the licensed body's  ("Gazprom-Armenia") application on revision of the tariff for thermal power plants, the Regulator has a right to initiate the procedure  of  tariffs revision in respect to the services supplied by the companies of electric power network, producing electricity and providing  appropriate services to final consumers.

According Nazaryan, within the conditions of tariffs decrease for Armenian TPP  for USD 15 per cubic meter, a need  rises to revise the electric power tariff cost, and to harmonize  it with natural  gas supply rates. At that, the PSRC Head could not state any exact figures regarding the tariff cut, because the price generation is preconditioned by many other factors - particularly, by the beginning of  a new fiscal year and taking into consideration production volumes for the next year, as well as certain investments, which implementation is already completed.  "We have already notified all the companies in written  that we have initiated the process of the tariff revision, and offered to inform us about existing problems, so that we could make proper calculations," Nazaryan stated. At that, the Commission Head noted that, according to the Prime Minister's instruction, a separate category of consumers subject to apply lower tariffs, will be established. PSRC expects to get an appropriate information from companies during next 15-20 days, and to revise and to approve new power supply tariffs by the end of  December.  

To remind, the company previously reported the initiation of the tariff revision process, after the Gazprom-Armenia suggested to decrease basic tariffs for 5,2-6% The subscribers having a right to social allowances and consuming less than 600 cu m of gas per annum will pay 100 thsd AMD per 1 thsd cu m; 2.  greenhouse facilities will pay 212 conventional units per 1 thsd cu m from November 1 till March 31; 3.  processing enterprises will pay 212 conventional units per 1 thsd cu m; 4.  subscribers consuming less than 10 thsd cu m per month will pay 139 thsd AMD per 1 thsd cu m; 5.  subscribers consuming more than 10 thsd cu m of gas per month will pay 242.1 conventional units per 1 thsd cu m.  For every consequent thousand of cu m they will be charged USD 212.  Along with that, there are no bonuses set out for gas filling stations, budget funded entities and TPPs generating electric power for domestic consumption.

Immediately after  his appointment  Armenian Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan  stated a necessity to revise natural gas and power supply rates. He called to refine tariffs  impact on socially vulnerable categories.