ArmInfo. Reduction of price on Russian gas transit via Georgian territory is one of components of gas tariff reduction for Armenian consumers, Deputy Minister of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources of Armenia Hayk Harutyunyan stated at the press conference on January 23.
According to him, reduction of price for transit will depend on amounts of supplies of Russian fuel. The Deputy Minister noted that this issue is being negotiated between Gazprom and Georgia and he personally does not need to comment on the reached results. "Moreover, I am not familiar with the terms of the agreement between Gazprom and Georgia", Hayk Harutyunyan stressed. Touching upon the possibility of increasing amounts of Iranian gas supplied to Armenia the Deputy Minister noted that the negotiations on this issue continue.
Earlier Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan, who is Hayk Harutyunyan's father-in-law assured that revision of tariff is not a part of pre-election campaign. "In any case I would make this step as I want to activate economy", Karapetyan stated. At the same time the Prime Minister stressed that his personal ties help him to establish relations with other Russian partners as well.
On November 25, the Public Services Regulatory Commission of Armenia (PSRC) approved Gazprom Armenia's request about revision of the natural gas tariffs for consumers in Armenia. The new tariffs will come into effect on 1 Jan 2017. When presenting the draft decision, Garegin Baghramyan, Head of the PSRC Department for Tariff Policy, said that the company's request envisages diversification of subscribers and tariffs in five groups: 1. The subscribers having the 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. Previously, Gazprom Armenia requested the Public Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC) of Armenia to revise the gas tariffs to prevent a decline in gas consumption, create favorable conditions for stabilization of the gas consumption market, growth of gas consumption, as well as for stimulation of the gas consuming companies' activities. Gazprom Armenia CJSC took into account the expected decline in the price of natural gas transit via Georgia. Gazprom Armenia also took into account that consumption is expected to grow due to the reduction in natural gas tariffs for the consumers of Armenia.