Friday, November 2 2018 11:44

ArmInfo. Armenia has improved its position in the World Bank Doing Business ranking in  terms of electricity connection. Currently, the republic has risen to  17th place compared to 66th place in the previous report.

According to the press service of Electric Networks of Armenia CJSC,  the Doing Business report qualifies countries in various categories,  based on the creation of business and the availability of approved  procedures. One of these procedures is the indicator of the  availability of connection to the electric network. A sharp jump in  the ranking is unprecedented for the entire region. Such countries as  Germany, France, Sweden, Singapore, China are in the top ten  countries. To note for comparison, that in 2017, Armenia was at the  66th position among such countries as Cyprus, Qatar, Vietnam, and in  2016 among Kazakhstan, Colombia and Malta.

In 2015, when the Tashir Group of Companies acquired electric  networks, Armenia was at 99th place among Bulgaria, Ecuador and  Paraguay. Thus, over the past three years, the indicators of  connection to the Armenian power networks have improved by 82 points.  In recent years, the company, together with the Public Services  Regulatory Commission, Yerevan Municipality and other state  structures, has improved the procedures for connecting to the power  grids. The whole business process is digitized. According to the  Doing Business 2018 report, "Armenia made getting electricity faster  by imposing new deadlines for procedures to obtain a new electrical  connection". The stipulated electricity connection terms are reduced  by 50%. In 2015, more than 3,700 subscribers were connected to the  network, who performed 7-8 steps, and in 2018, more than 4,700  subscribers completed 3 steps.

The ranking considers important such areas as the system of  "automatic restoration of outages" and "regulator's control". A  system for monitoring outages and restoration of power supply has  been established. At the expense of automating processes, today the  meters send a signal (where and when electricity is turned off)  without any phone call.

"Electric Networks of Armenia" Company continues to improve network  connectivity indicators, trying to occupy a higher position in the  rating, providing understandable conditions and short terms. A new  package of changes has already been approved, according to which the  three connection steps will be reduced to two (in one case, when  submitting an application and in two, ensuring security when  connecting)

Regardless of the indicators set by Doing Business, "Electric  Networks of Armenia" strives to improve the quality of services  provided and provide convenient conditions for its subscribers.

To note among the 190 countries covered by the World Bank (WB) Doing  Business ranking - 2019, Armenia rose from 47th place to 41st,  improving its positions by 6 steps.

Earlier, at a press conference in Yerevan, responding to a question   from ArmInfo, General Director of "Electric Networks of Armenia" CJSC   Karen Harutyunyan reported that the company intends to attract from   the Asian Development Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction   and Development a total of $ 160 million to implement its investment   program, planned to 2020.  According to him, preliminary documents   have already been signed with the financial structures.  The final   agreements will be signed at least a month later.  The loan funds  will  be directed to the company's implementation of its five-year  investment program at a cost of $ 200 million. As Karen Harutyunyan   noted, the funds will be attracted to a private company without state   guarantees, which is an unprecedented practice. The attracted funds   will not affect the company's credit burden. 

 In his turn, the  Chairman of the Board of Directors of "Electric  Networks of Armenia"  CJSC Karen Darbinyan stressed that, in parallel  with the investment program until 2020, a new program is being  developed for 2018-2028  worth $ 500 million. Discussions on the  program are already underway,  documents are being prepared for  submission to the Commission on  Regulation of Public Services. The  implementation of the 10-year  program will provide an opportunity to  reconstruct and modernize  electrical equipment, which has been used  for 50 years or more. It is  also planned to modernize electric  substations, reconstruct  distribution points, completely replace air  and cable lines, and introduce the ASKO electric power accounting  system throughout the  country. 

''Electric Networks of Armenia'' CJSC was established in May 2002 as   a result of the merge of four state regional electricity distribution   and sale companies:  Yerevan Electric Networks, Northern Electric    Networks, Southern Electric Networks and Central Electric Networks.   The main activity of the company is the regulated distribution and   sale of electricity. The total length of the networks is 36 thousand   km. The company serves about 985 000 consumers. CJSC "Electric  Networks of Armenia" has an exclusive license for transmission and   distribution of electricity in the territory of the Republic of   Armenia at guaranteed tariffs, calculated on the basis of the   company's costs and a regulated rate of return on investment.