ARMENIA’S ENERGY POLICY

Hasmik ManukyanC.I.F.E M.A.E.I.S Anglophone Branch

hasmikmanoukyan@yahoo.com

-2013-

Summary________________________Energy Sector ReviewRegional IntegrationArmenia and Central AsiaEnergy Production in ArmeniaRenewable Energy in ArmeniaNuclear power energy Wind Energy in ArmeniaSolar Energy in ArmeniaHydro Energy in Armenia

ARMENIAParliamentary Republic • Population - approx. 3.2

million• Capital - Yerevan (1.25

million)• Total area is 29740 sq. km• Religion - Christianity• Borders with Turkey, Iran, Republics of Georgia & AzerbaijanWithout sea coastline • Average height - 1800 m • Uppermost - 4090 m.

(Aragats)• Lowest -360 m. (Ararat

Valley)• Lake Sevan, a vast mountain

lake, extends on almost 5% of Armenia's surface area & is about 2,000 meters above sea level.

ENERGY SECTOR REVIEW _____________________________________

Energy Sector Development Strategy was adopted by RA Government in 2007.• Energy sector is one of the most developed sectors of

economy in Armenia with qualified specialists,• The Armenian energy sector was and is developing as a

regional center of energy,• Armenia has a significant practices in design,

construction, operationand maintenance of nuclear, thermal and hydro stations, and of parallel work with integrated energy system.

Four Pillars of Armenian National energy strategy

• Utilization of renewable energy sources and improving energy efficiency;

• Development of nuclear energy;• Diversification of primary energy resources and

import/export routs;• Regional integration and cooperation

REGIONAL INTEGRATION

Primary activities in the area of regional cooperation and diversification of energy resource supplies include:Iran-Armenia gas pipeline, provides an alternative gas

import route;Expansion and modernization of underground gas storage;Iranian-Armenian HPP- Meghri Hydro-Electric Power Plant

(HPP) using the potential of the Araks River on the Iran-Armenia border;

Implementation of parallel operation with multinational energy systems (such as CIS or Black Sea Economic Cooperation.);

Development of regional markets for electric energy and capacity.

Participation in Regional Energy ProgramsEuropean Energy CharterBlack Sea Economic CooperationEnergy Council of CISRegional Projects: WB, Tacis, USAID, INOGATE, EBRD,

UNDP, OPET.

ARMENIA & CENTRAL ASIAArmenia along with Tajikistan from Central Asia, are

among the first 50 developing countries to sign up to the new UN Global Sustainable Energy For All initiative, committing them to work towards the initiative’s goals for 2030.

Armenia is the country most integrated in the Moscow-led regional organizations that unite the Central Asian countries, however with limited bilateral energy, trade, political relations with Central Asia countries.

Armenia’s isolation and closed borders with two out of its four neighboring countries has implications for its integration and cooperation with Central Asian countries.

Countries in the Caucasus and Central Asia can be divided into energy-rich countries, transit countries and countries with no involvement in either energy or transit (Armenia is classified in the third group).

Energy Production in Armenia

Nuclear power 30-40%Hydroelectric plants 20-35% Thermal power plants 30-35%Wind, Solar Power 0.1-0.2%

Nuclear Power Energy in ArmeniaArmenia has relied heavily on nuclear power since

1976.  It has one reactor in operation and the government

has approved a joint venture to build another by 2018. 

Armenia depends primarily on three types of power generation—thermal, hydro, and nuclear. Nuclear power is primarily used to cover baseload consumption.

Nuclear power energy strategyContinuous enhancement of the safety level of the

Armenia’s existing NPPDevelopment of new nuclear unit(s) based on

modern technology

Nuclear Power Plant and Nuclear Fuel

• Installed capacity equals 815 MW• Average output amounts to 2.0

billion kW.h of electric power per year

• Generates more than 40% of the electric power produced in Armenia

• The main consumer is Armenian power market

• In 1989 the Armenian NPP was shut down due to pressure from environmental groups and safety concerns following the 1988 earthquake

• In 1995 NPP was reopened in order to resolve its energy shortages.

• As of today, one of the two blocks of the plant is under operation.

Renewable Energy in Armenia____________________________________

Why renewable energy is of great importance for Armenia?

Absence of own fossil resources

Geopolitical situationSolar and wind resourcesScientific potentialEnvironmental degradation

Wind Energy in Armeniaeconomically viable capacity for wind energy is

comparable with nuclear wind energy development in Armenia is in its

infancy generated wind energy in Armenia in 2006 formed

only 0.1% from total produced energywind resources in Armenia allow to generate as

much as 10% of electricity in this wayseveral prospective sites where wind farms could

be erected are already defined

First Wind Power Plant in Armenia and Transcaucasia: “Lori - 1” : 2.6 MW / 5 mln. kW/h

Armenia Wind Resource Map (Source: 3Tier)

Solar Energy in Armenia____________________________________

Armenia has sufficient solar energy resourcesSolar energy generation capacity in Armenia

is currently around 650 MW, but estimates for future capacity are as high as 3,500 MW.

In Yerevan one square meter of land receives about 1,700 kWh of sun power annually, which is 70% more that in Europe.

Hydro Energy in Armenia ____________________________________

The only main indigenous energy resource in Armenia

Installed capacity - around 1000 megawatt

Hydro power generates 20%-35% of Armenia’s energy needs.

Mainly provided by the Sevan-Hrazdan and Vorotan cascades

Lake Sevan is the greatest lake of Transcaucasus Region and one of the greatest freshwater high-mountain lakes of Eurasia.

Web links for additional informationPublic Services Regulatory Commission of the

Republic of Armeniawww.psrc.am

The Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources

www.minenergy.am Climate Change Information Center

www.nature-ic.am Armenia Renewable Resources and Energy

Efficiency Fundwww.r2e2.am

www.renewableenergyarmenia.am

THANK YOU !