ArmInfo. The Minister of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources of the Republic of Armenia, Artur Grigoryan, on June 25 received the Acting Director of the Mission of the USAID, the Director of the Sustainable Development Office Laila Andrews Bachan.
According to the press service of the Ministry, Grigoryan thanked the UDAID for the successive assistance to the energy sector of Armenia. He expressed hope that further bilateral cooperation will continue successfully. Highly appreciating the role of the structure in the development of various spheres of the Armenian economy, the minister presented the guest the USAID implementation process for the construction of the Armenia-Georgia 400-kilovolt transmission line and a direct-current electric substation.
The interlocutors exchanged views on the program of reforms of legislation regulating the energy sector, as well as on the issue of retraining of specialists in the process of building an electrical substation. The parties also discussed new models of liberalization and the formation of the electricity market. They expressed their readiness to implement these programs as soon as possible.
To recall, the program of liberalization of the electricity market of Armenia, launched in 2017, envisages the introduction of the institute of an alternative electricity supplier. The consumer will have the opportunity, in addition to "Electric Networks of Armenia", to purchase electricity from other suppliers. Nevertheless, the "Electric Networks of Armenia" will remain the guaranteed suppliers of the product. That consumer who does not want to purchase electricity from alternative suppliers, can continue to receive it from networks. Another innovation concerns the entry of large wholesale consumers into the market, which will be able to purchase electricity directly from generation facilities, import it and use it for their own needs. Thus, according to the program, the actions of large wholesale consumers are greatly simplified, the licenses for which are combined into one. This measure is aimed at regional integration, which should lead to a significant increase in the private sector market. The powers of the regulatory bodies, represented by the Ministry of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources of the Republic of Armenia and the Commission on Regulation of Public Services, are also regulated.
