Contract for Kaps reservoir construction put out to tender

ArmInfo.The invitation of tenders for the construction of a reservoir in Kaps, a village in the Shirak province of Armenia, got under way on November 1, 2021.   January 10, 2022, is the deadline for submission of tenders, reports  the press service of the RA Ministry of Territorial Administration  and Infrastructures. 

Invitations have been sent to the following pre-qualified companies:  1. Shanxi Construction Investment Group and SHANXI Hydrologic  Construction Bureau. 2. Dongfang Electric International Corporation  and China Road and Bridge Corporation. 

On November 22, 2021, representatives of the companies visited the  site for construction of the dam, as well as the auxiliary  facilities. Designing group members were present as well. During the  visit, the tenderers were informed of the current state of repair of  the dam, headings and irrigation tunnels. A pre- tender meeting took  place at the Water Sector Projects implementation Branch office on  November 23.  The incomplete reservoir construction project is  located in Kaps, Shirak province, 22km north of Gyumri, in the  Akhuryan River Valley. The EUR 60mln project (with EUR 50mln loans)  is funded by Armenia`s government and the German KfW bank. The loan  agreement was enforced on January 29,2019, with the loan utilization  deadline being December 30, 2019. However, the deadline was extended  until June 30, 2024. Under the Integrated Water Resources Management  (IWRM)/ Akhuryan River Stage One project, the construction of a water  reservoir for 25mln cubic meter is to be completed. The project  provides for the construction of auxiliary facilities of the dam,  equipment of the water-flow record points on the Akhuryan River,  (from the Arpi reservoir to the Akhuryan reservoir), creation of a  central database (SCADA).  "Completing the construction of the dam  and auxiliary facilities will first of all ensure the safety of  settlements located downstream, improve water supply to an area of  12,325 hectares in Shirak and to the right side of the Aghuryan  reservoir. Gravity irrigation will replace mechanical irrigation in  an area of 2,280 hectares, which will save 1.3mln kwh of energy.  Regular irrigation will increase agricultural output, and a reliable  water-flow record system will improve water management," reads a  report by the RA Ministry of Territorial Administration and  Infrastructures. 

On August 27, 2020, Armenia`s government approved a land acquisition  and resettlement action plan under the Under the Integrated Water  Resources Management (IWRM)/ Akhuryan River Stage One project, which  provides for Kaps reservoir construction. The project is to be  launched this year to last for 3 years and a half. 

RA Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures Vache  Terteryan said that a EUR 60mln loan agreement was signed with the  KfW bank is 2014. Since some of the buildings in the Kaps village  would be flooded at the first stage, Jradzor has to be resettled. The  new village near the reservoir will have about 350 residents. The  local residents were offered two options: certificates or  construction of a new settlement.  The first option requires budget  expenditures totaling AMD 3.2bln , and the second AMD 4.9bln. the  local residents are inclined to the second option