39 new small HPPs with total capacity of 74 MW to be built in Armenia

ArmInfo. The share of small HPPs in total electricity output in Armenia has grown.   

According to the press-service of the Ministry of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources of the Republic of Armenia, during the previous year the share of small HPPs in the structure of electricity generated in the republic totaled 13%. Thus, these amounts turned out to be 4% more than last year. The changes in the country's energy balance structure are based not only on the growth of small HPPs, but also on the growth of the electricity generated by the HPPs.

According to Hayk Badalyan, Head of the Energy Department of the Ministry of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources of the Republic of Armenia, as of 1 January 2017 there are 178 active small HPPs in Armenia, 5 HPPs more than last year. The designed capacity of the small HPPs is 328 MW. In 2016 they generated 957 mln kWh of electric power. At the same time, the number of small HPPs will increase.  "According to the licenses, 39 more small HPPs are being designed, with their total capacity being over 74 MW or 260 mln kWh of electricity per annum," said Hayk Badalyan.

According to him, Armenia gives huge importance to the construction of environmentally safe small HPPs, which is one of the directions of the renewable energy development policy.

To recall, currently the process of introduction of new technological regulations for small HPPs in Armenia is still going on. It will give a chance to improve their exploitation conditions and will guarantee sustainable development of small HPPs.