ArmInfo.The delegation of the Renewable Energy Producers' Association presented to the KfW German Development Bank the crisis situation in the field of small hydropower plants, threatening the prospects for the development of the programs of the German Development Bank in Armenia.
The Association's official statement received by ArmInfo states that the current situation in the field of small energy was presented during the meeting of the Executive Director of the Association Roman Melikyan with the Senior Project Coordinator of KfW Yerevan office Bella Andriasyan. "The matter concerns constant abuses and offenses by the relevant state bodies of the water sector of the Republic of Armenia, which entails a violation of the constitutional and legislative rights of small hydropower plants financed by KfW," Melikyan said. In continuation of the above, he explained that since economic entities in the small hydropower sector are not provided with water, which is envisaged by law and other legal acts, or are completely deprived of water, there is a threat that the latter will not be able to provide electricity production. "Economic entities may be on the verge of closure, which is a threat not only for the loans provided by the bank for the development and operation of small hydropower plants, but it can also cause a serious blow to the bank's programs implemented in Armenia," he said. To recall, in November 2018 Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated in the RA National Assembly that small hydropower plants in Armenia have become a habitat for all sorts of abuses. According to him, over the past few months, inspections were conducted at 150 of 180 small hydropower plants. As a result of the checks, it turned out that 95% of small electric power facilities lack water meters and environmental regulations are violated.
However, independent experts support the views and concerns of the Prime Minister. As the country's well- known specialist in water resources, Ph.D. Knarik Hovhannisyan told earlier ArmInfo correspondent, , despite the fact that hydroelectric power plants are ecologically most safe compared to other alternative sources of electricity, in recent years, due to the extremely extensive construction of small hydropower plants in Armenia, including on KfW loans, the ecological status of aquatic ecosystems has deteriorated sharply on the republic's waterways. This is due to a gross violation of the regime of environmental flows, which impede the conservation of biodiversity (flora and fauna) of aquatic ecosystems. Among other factors that violate the normal activities of natural ecosystems, the expert considers the frequent excess of the established limits for water withdrawal, violation of the norms for the construction and operation of hydraulic structures.
Currently, there are 186 small hydropower plants operating in Armenia, which produce 19-20% of the total electricity generated in the country. The Government of Armenia is interested in the development of small hydropower facilities, but not to the detriment of the environment. Small hydropower is part of renewable energy, the development of which is among the priorities of the country's government. In particular, in the next 2 years it is planned to build another 32 small hydropower plants