Boris Kovalchuk: Problems have economic rather than political reasons
The difficult situation in the electricity sector in Armenia, where the decision to increase electricity tariffs provoked mass protests, has economic rather than political reasons, Boris Kovalchuk, chairman of the managing board of Inter RAO, told Russian TASS news agency. The insufficient price increase in eleven years, the renovation of Armenia's Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant, reduction in electricity generation in hydroelectric power plants has led to a situation in the result of which the country’s grid system has not received AMD 37 billion revenue, said the official of the Russian Inter RAO, which is the owner of the Electric Networks of Armenia, the current operator of the grid. He says the ENA losses are resulted by systemic problems in the regulatory system. Kovalchuk says ENA buys electricity from power generating companies in Armenia, including the nuclear power plant, hydroelectric power plants, thermal power plants, and sells it to consumers. Tariffs are approved by the state. At the same time, Thermal power Kovalchuk welcomes the idea of organizing an audit at the ENA and expresses hope that it will allow making systematic changes in the company.
