Karabakh to see power price hike from Aug. 11: Armenian suppliers to blameJuly 23, 2014 - 16:10 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Major consumers will be affected by the electricity tariff hike to enter force August 11, while the remaining subscribers will have the price increase subsidized by the government, the Nagorno Karabakh Republic Prime Minister Ara Harutyunyan said, according to ARKA. Starting from August 10, Artsakhenergo, the republic’s electricity-supplying company, will be selling electric power at AMD 41.85 drams per KWt-hour in the daytime and AMD 36.85 at nighttime, up from AMD 38 and 33 set in 2013. As the official noted at a news conference, explaining reasons behind the price hike, Artsakhenergo buys electricity from various sources, including some Armenian power-generating plants at AMD 25 per KWt-hour. According to Harutyunyan, in calculating the new price, losses amounting to AMD 5 per KWt-hour were factored in, as well as salaries of the company’s employees (AMD 8) plus AMD 3 for possible technical disorders. As Harutyunyan noted, investors demand to set the same prices as in Armenia for construction of small hydro power plants. Armenia’s Public Services Regulatory Commission has approved an almost 10 percent rise in electricity prices for households, allowing the Electrical Networks of Armenia to charge AMD 41.85 per kWh in the daytime (from 7:00 to 23:00), up from current AMD 38 and AMD 31.5 at nighttime (from 23:00 to 7:00), up from current AMD 28. The decision comes into force on 1 August 2014. 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 | Russia clarifying reports on Baku’s alleged arms supply to Ukraine Russia says is carefully working to verify reports about alleged arms supplies from Azerbaijan to Ukraine Russia warns Armenia against “falling into West’s trap” Zakharova maintained, however, that anything that will benefit the people of Armenia can only be welcomed. CSTO: Armenia has not participated in secretariat’s work recently Recently Armenia has not participated in the work of the secretariat of the CSTO, Imangali Tasmagambetov said. Meeting with U.S., EU not against third parties, says Armenia The meeting scheduled for April 5 is dedicated to strengthening of the Armenia-EU-US cooperation, Yerevan added. |