Deputy Minister: Project of construction of Iran-Armenia high-voltage power transmission line should be implemented in 2019

ArmInfo. The project of  construction of the Iran-Armenia high-voltage power transmission line  should be implemented in 2019, Armenian Deputy Minister of Energy  Infrastructures and Natural Resources of Armenia Hayk Harutyunyan has  told ArmInfo.  

He says that the project should be synchronized with the project of  construction of the Armenia-Georgia power transmission line, which  will allow creating a single energy corridor. The project envisages  installation of 722 electric poles. Almost all the sections through  which the power transmission line will be laid have already been  bought out. The equipment imported to Armenia has already been  tested. The deputy minister points out that there are some problems  connected with weather conditions and acquisition of land plots for  the power transmission line, which needs a permit from the  communities. Moreover, each community has its own peculiarities. 

Earlier ArmInfo reported that Armenia intends to create a regional  electric power market with its partners in the region.  Armenian  Deputy Minister of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources Areg  Galstyan said in Parliament on October 26 that the need to create  conditions for effective parallel activities of the power grids of  Iran, Georgia, Armenia and Russia.  The construction of Iran-Armenia  and Armenia-Georgia high voltage power transmission lines will create  all the necessary prerequisites for that. Both projects will be  implemented by the end of 2019. At the same time, Georgia is  negotiating with Russia on construction of a new 500KV power  transmission line and substations, which will enable not only  reciprocal cross-flows of electric power, but also commercial deals.  At the moment, a coordination group at the level of deputy ministers  of the four countries is actively working to launch the projects. By  late 2019 the 1 thsd MW North-South energy corridor will operate at  full capacity. He stressed that Armenia will both economically and  politically benefit even from electric power transit. To note, SUNIR  (Iran) has received official permit to build a 400KV Iran-Armenia  power transmission line. The relevant decision 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. To recall,  the Armenian Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources and the Export  Development Bank of Iran signed the agreement on construction of  400KV Iran-Armenia power transmission line in August 2015. The total  cost of the project is 107.9 mln EUR. The Iranian Bank will provide  77% of the amount, with the remaining 23% to be provided by the  general contractor - SUNIR. The total length will be 279km. The line  will be laid from Meghri to Hrazdan, where a 440/220KV substation  will be built 10 km away from the Hrazdan TPP. From the latter a new  400KV power transmission line will be laid to Georgia under another  project (at the expense of a KfW loan with co- financing of EIB and  the EU. The total financing will be 105.2 mln EUR).