WB approves $39m loan for ESR Project for ArmeniaMay 27, 2011 - 12:24 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The World Bank Board of Executive Directors approved a US$ 39 million loan for the Electricity Supply Reliability (ESR) Project for Armenia. This project is designed to enhance the reliability of the power supply in the country by improving the capacity of the power transmission network back-bone infrastructure by replacing a section of around 230 km of out-dated transmission lines. “This project supports a key strategic objective of our Country Partnership Strategy: to support Armenia’s competitiveness,” says Asad Alam, World Bank Regional Director for the South Caucasus Countries. “The investments will replace a section of around 230 km of transmission line from the Hrazdan Thermal Power Plant to Vorotan Cascade of hydro power plants, which accounts for about 45 percent of the 220 kV transmission lines that need urgent rehabilitation,” says Jean-Michel Happi, World Bank Country Manager for Armenia. “The capacity of this section of the transmission line will increase from 250 MW to 310 MW, with a sharp reduction in current outages.” Total financing of the Project is US$ 52 million, of which the government of Armenia will finance US$ 13 million. The IBRD loan carries a maturity of 25 years including a grace period of 10 years. Top stories Yerevan has dismissed Turkey’s demand to shut down the Armenian nuclear power plant as “inappropriate”. Armenia will loan 2.9 billion drams to Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh), according to a draft government decision. The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan has “strongly condemned” Armenia’s decision. Kerobyan has said that for the first time in the history of Armenia, the volume of foreign direct investments amounted to about $1 billion. Partner news | Scholz hopes Armenia-Azerbaijan peace treaty will be signed this year German Chancellor Olaf Scholz hopes that a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan will be signed this year. Ucom equips four bus stops in Ijevan with free Wi-Fi Ucom now provides free Wi-Fi coverage in smart bus stops in four communities of Ijevan. Armenians stage more campaigns against territorial concessions to Azerbaijan Protesters blocked more roads across Armenia on Friday, April 26 in continuing attempts to scuttle territorial concessions to Azerbaijan. Czech-Armenian military cooperation discussed in Yerevan A delegation led by the Director General for the Industrial Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic visited Armenia. |