Wednesday, April 5 2017 15:54

ArmInfo. The process of selecting a contractor for the construction of a high-voltage power transmission line Armenia-Georgia continues in Armenia. This was stated by the Minister of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources of the Republic of Armenia Ashot Manukyan during the meeting with the delegation of the German bank KfW headed by the head of the energy department of the KfW bank Thomas Aigenbach on April 5.

According to him, the press service of the ministry cites, the selection of the contractor will be made on the basis of the previously announced international tender. The Minister expressed hope that the results of the contest will be known in a timely manner, which will make it possible to start the project at the end of this year.

As ArmInfo reported earlier, the consultant of the construction project of the power transmission line Armenia-Georgia - the company "Fichtner GmbH & Co. KG" has prepared a tender package for the selection of the general contractor. The project itself is planned to be implemented in three stages. Sources of funding for the first two stages are already known. Within the first two stages, it is planned to build the power transmission line itself with a voltage of 400 kilovolts and two DC substations in Ddmashen and Ayrum, which will allow starting work with the power system of Georgia in asynchronous regime. Prior to this, the impact of the project on the environment and social impact was assessed. This work is planned to be completed before the end of 2017, after which construction work will begin. Within the framework of the project it is planned to unite the power systems of Armenia and Georgia, which will promote the development of mutually beneficial regional cooperation within the framework of the created energy corridor Iran-Armenia-Georgia-Russia. The preliminary cost of the program, according to the company FICHTNER will be 326.9 million EUR, 10% of which is part of the contribution of Georgia. At the first stage, it is planned to build a conversion substation in Ayrum and a 500 kilovolt air line 8 km long towards Georgia. The second stage involves the construction of a 400-kilovolt electrical substation with a single transformer near the village of Ddmashen and a 400-kilovolt air line, which will make it possible to exchange 350 megawatts of electricity. The first two stages of the program are estimated at 188.2 million EUR. Sources of the necessary funds for their financing have already been determined. To this end, in 2014-2015, three loan agreements were signed. In particular, 168 million EUR were allocated by the German bank KfW as a loan, the European Investment Bank provided another 10 million EUR. It is expected to receive another 10 million EUR in the form of a grant from the European Commission. The first two stages of the program are envisaged to be implemented in parallel regimes. The works are carried out in accordance with the established schedule, according to which construction works will begin in late 2017 and will be completed by the end of 2019.