ArmInfo. In Armenia, standards of construction of small hydropower plants will be tightened. The amendments to the Water Code were approved at the March 21 meeting of the RA Government. Presenting the draft amendments, the Minister of Nature Protection Eric Grigoryan noted that the document resolved cases of refusal to grant permits for the construction of new small hydropower plants, determined those rivers on which the construction of small hydropower facilities is generally prohibited.
The Minister recalled that earlier the first reading of the country's parliament had already amended the Water Code. According to these amendments, the construction of small hydropower stations in the places of spawning of fish, on rivers where the derivational load exceeds 40%, is prohibited. The Minister noted that in many rivers the figure of 40% was not observed, often over 52% of the river flow was taken to the pipe.
Construction will be prohibited in forest areas, as well as around natural monuments. The draft law is not aimed at banning the construction of new SHPPs, but at tracking their original purpose - the production of an environmentally acceptable source of electricity. "The law is not aimed at banning the construction of small hydropower plants, but at their regulation and increasing productivity. The work of existing small hydropower plants has led to serious environmental problems, and they significantly affect not only the flow of water in rivers, but also the ecological situation, leading to a reduction and almost the destruction of fish stocks, despite the fact that they can work more environmentally friendly and with a higher indicator of efficiency, "said Eric Grigoryan. He noted that today many problems have already been identified with existing hydroelectric power plants, however, new amendments to the law will not have retroactive effect and will not apply to licenses already granted.
Earlier, ArmInfo reported that a working group was formed for the purpose of research of small hydropower plants. According to the results of research serious decisions will be made. 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.
To note, in the next 2 years it is planned to build another 32 small hydropower plants. Meanwhile, their construction will depend on compliance with the 10 criteria for environmental impact assessment established by the government of the country. This concerns the presence of endemic species of aquatic flora and fauna registered in the Red Book of Armenia, preservation of the actual water flow at a level not exceeding the ecological release determined by the permission for water use, the presence of sanitary protection zones of aquatic ecosystems, the presence of nature monuments within a radius of 150 meters, and landslides, the presence of roads or the need to build them in the construction sites of small hydropower plants, the distance from settlements, the impact of noise on the environment and human health. It also provides for the suspension of licenses of hydropower plants in case of 40% or more congestion of rivers by diversion pipes.