ArmInfo. Construction of Armenia-Georgia Power Transmission Line will launch in 2017, Deputy Minister of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources of Armenia Hayk Harutyunyan stated at the Facebook press conference summing up the results of 2016. Due to program implementation the amount of mutual flows of electricity will be increased to 350 MW on the first stage and to 700MW on the second stage. Construction of the third Iran-Armenia power transmission line has already launched, due to which mutual interflows of electricity will be increased several-fold. Due to new energy corridor Armenia will be able to increase amounts of export of electricity 3-fold. To note, Iran-Armenia transmission line construction project will be aligned with the program of constructing Armenia-Georgia line, which will allow creating a common 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. Armenia intends to create a regional electric power market with its partners in the region. 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 Iran-Armenia power transmission line. The construction was launched in 2012, however because of sanctions against Iran and lack of necessary financial funds construction was delayed. As of today construction work amounted to $1.43 mln has been done. And only from September 2015 construction restarted. Equipment to the value of $1.337 mln was imported including voltage transformers. 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. 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 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).