Nationalize gas pipe or create alternative - opinions on gas tariff growth
12:58 - 19.05.13
Armenia should nationalize the Iranian gas pipe entering Armenia
designed with small diameter and handed to ArmRusGasProm, deputy
leader of Heritage party Armen Martirosyan says.
`There was a time when Armenia could have become a transit country for
gas export but during Robert Kocharyan's ruling the diameter of the
pipe was designed small,' Martirosyan said, adding that the Armenian
authorities will not have the courage to make a decision to
nationalize the pipe handed to ArmRusGasProm.
Speaking on Kentron TV, ex chairman of the Armenia's Central Bank
Bagrat Asatryan said that though the dependence on the Russian gas is
ArmRusGasProm's monopoly and it does not allow using the Iranian gas,
this dependence has been imposed on us by the Armenian government.
Asatryan said being close to gas exporting countries, like Iran in
south, Armenia has locked and condemned itself to getting gas from
Russia only.
Former PM Hrant Bagratyan voiced doubt that Armenia can make sovereign
decision over getting gas from Iran. He also claimed that if Russia
raises gas tariff by $90, ArmRusGasProm adds $110 on it.
`Ex director of ArmRusGasProm Karen Karapetyan has connected the whole
country to the natural gas network. It seems a good thing, but more
than half of these settlements does not use gas, or consumes very
small volume, as a result the supply's self-cost raises. In this
regard each new village connected to the gas network is not able to
afford it which complicates the issue,' he said.
Bagratyan also said the behavior of the government to subsidize 30% is
also strange. `The government would better try to solve the issue of
growth of the tariff,' he said.
The citizens protesting against gas tariff raise were also demanding
`the electricity of our nuclear plant'. Speaking about it, ANC
representative Vahagn Khachatryan said Metsamor nuclear plant with its
one unit satisfies the 25-30% of country's energy demand. The other
80% is being satisfied by thermo plants and small and big hydro power
plants. Thus, according to Khachatryan, a political decision may be
made not only over pipe but over alternative gas supply.
At its yesterday's issue Haykakan Zhamanak paper wrote that the
government's program for 2013-17 to be soon discussed at the NA does
not mention a word about the construction of new nuclear unit in
Armenia, in case when the previous ones had.
The last year's program of the government mentioned about the works
carried out for the construction of new nuclear unit and in his speech
on October 2, 2008 addressed to the parliament, President Serzh
Sargsyan said, `During the coming months Armenia will start
construction of new nuclear plant.'
Armenian News - Tert.am
From: Baghdasarian
12:58 - 19.05.13
Armenia should nationalize the Iranian gas pipe entering Armenia
designed with small diameter and handed to ArmRusGasProm, deputy
leader of Heritage party Armen Martirosyan says.
`There was a time when Armenia could have become a transit country for
gas export but during Robert Kocharyan's ruling the diameter of the
pipe was designed small,' Martirosyan said, adding that the Armenian
authorities will not have the courage to make a decision to
nationalize the pipe handed to ArmRusGasProm.
Speaking on Kentron TV, ex chairman of the Armenia's Central Bank
Bagrat Asatryan said that though the dependence on the Russian gas is
ArmRusGasProm's monopoly and it does not allow using the Iranian gas,
this dependence has been imposed on us by the Armenian government.
Asatryan said being close to gas exporting countries, like Iran in
south, Armenia has locked and condemned itself to getting gas from
Russia only.
Former PM Hrant Bagratyan voiced doubt that Armenia can make sovereign
decision over getting gas from Iran. He also claimed that if Russia
raises gas tariff by $90, ArmRusGasProm adds $110 on it.
`Ex director of ArmRusGasProm Karen Karapetyan has connected the whole
country to the natural gas network. It seems a good thing, but more
than half of these settlements does not use gas, or consumes very
small volume, as a result the supply's self-cost raises. In this
regard each new village connected to the gas network is not able to
afford it which complicates the issue,' he said.
Bagratyan also said the behavior of the government to subsidize 30% is
also strange. `The government would better try to solve the issue of
growth of the tariff,' he said.
The citizens protesting against gas tariff raise were also demanding
`the electricity of our nuclear plant'. Speaking about it, ANC
representative Vahagn Khachatryan said Metsamor nuclear plant with its
one unit satisfies the 25-30% of country's energy demand. The other
80% is being satisfied by thermo plants and small and big hydro power
plants. Thus, according to Khachatryan, a political decision may be
made not only over pipe but over alternative gas supply.
At its yesterday's issue Haykakan Zhamanak paper wrote that the
government's program for 2013-17 to be soon discussed at the NA does
not mention a word about the construction of new nuclear unit in
Armenia, in case when the previous ones had.
The last year's program of the government mentioned about the works
carried out for the construction of new nuclear unit and in his speech
on October 2, 2008 addressed to the parliament, President Serzh
Sargsyan said, `During the coming months Armenia will start
construction of new nuclear plant.'
Armenian News - Tert.am
From: Baghdasarian