Thursday, March 21 2019 18:00

ArmInfo. CJSC "Gazprom Armenia" was not able to implement large-scale measures aimed at reducing losses due to limited financial resources. This is stated in  the company's explanations received at ArmInfo in connection with the  data on losses in the Gazprom subsidiary announced by RA Prime  Minister Nikol Pashinyan.To note, on March 19, at a press conference  in Yerevan, Nikol Pashinyan announced a reduction in the shadow  consumption of gas in Armenia. 

According to him, despite the growth in the volume of natural gas  inflow to the republic in 2018, the level of losses is quite high,  although after the velvet revolution, technological losses were  reduced by 10%. He also noted that the number of unknown consumers  had decreased by 23%, and the losses of the distribution network  decreased by 30% from 39.5 million cubic meters. in 2017, up to 27.5  million cubic meters in 2018. At the same time, gas consumption at  gas stations increased by 15%. "It is clear that all this happened  due to the reduction of the shadow," Nikol Pashinyan said at that  time.Meanwhile, according to the press service of Gazprom Armenia,  gas losses consist of two components: gas losses in the systemgas  transportation and losses in the distribution system. Losses of gas  in the transportation system, in turn, consist of two factors -  technological inevitable losses in gas pipelines and accidental  losses. 

And if we are talking only about the inevitable technological losses,  they in gas pipelines in 2017 amounted to 107.8 million cubic meters,  and in 2018 - 96.1 million cubic meters. m., which also include the  volume of losses of Iranian gas, stipulated by the agreement between  Yerevan Thermal Power Plant and Transgas LLC.In 2017, Gazprom  Armenia's losses in the gas transmission network amounted to 91.8  million cubic meters, and in 2018 - 91.3 million cubic meters, or in  fact, losses decreased by 0.5 million cubic meters.  mThe loss of  natural gas in the gas distribution system in 2017 amounted to 39.5  million cubic meters, and in 2018 - 27.5 million cubic meters. The  actual loss was reduced to 12 million cubic meters, of which 8  million cubic meters solely due to the cold weather conditions in  January-March 2017. It should be noted that the indicators of losses  in the gas distribution system from year to year may decrease or  increase depending on weather conditions. In 2018, natural gas losses  in the gas distribution system amounted to 4.0 million cubic meters  or 10.1%. As for the increase in consumption at gas filling stations  by 15%, bearing in mind 477.6 million cubic meters in 2017 and 552.6  million cubic meters in 2018, then, as noted in the company's  announcement, this is caused by an increase in consumption volumes by  about 75 million cubic meters, which is significantly higher than the  losses in the systemdistribution.

At present, PJSC Gazprom, CJSC Gazprom Armenia, the government of the  Republic of Armenia and PSRC are discussing the general scheme of gas  supplies to Armenia, and if all issues are agreed upon, as well as  the implementation of comprehensive measures and investment volumes,  it will be possible to provide significant loss reduction. The  company Gazprom Armenia also expressed bewilderment with the use of  the terms "unknown consumer" or "left consumer of gas." In 2018, the  number of company subscribers increased by 12,484 compared with 2017.  The company is ready to provide the authorities with full information  on the structure of gas consumption. Gazprom Armenia expressed its  willingness to also provide specialized explanations to interested  parties in order to avoid possible distortions and interpretations.