Thursday, August 17 2017 17:21

ArmInfo.Amenian Government on August 17 approved the order for carculating additional income arising in the companies of power system from the sale of electricity produced at the expense of water produced in Lake Sevan in 2017, exceeding 170 million cubic meters. M., and gave permission to Ministry of Energy Infrastructure and Natural Resources to open an  off-budget account.

According to the Minister of Energy Infrastructures and Natural  Resources of Armenia Ashot Manukyan, in July the Armenian Government  received the "good" of the parliament to increase the volume of water  release from Lake Sevan by 100 million cubic meters. Up to 270  million as a result of which additional revenues will be generated in  energy companies. "The proposed procedure determines the formula for  calculating the specified income and the mechanisms of expenditure,"  he explained. The project also stipulates that a special treasury  account will be opened in the Ministry of Energy, where all the  income of the companies of the sphere will be credited (minus VAT).

In justification to the resolution, it is noted that the decision  regulates the relations related to the calculation and procedure for  the payment of income arising from the difference in income and  expenses incurred by ZAO International Energy Corporation and CJSC  Electric Networks of Armenia from the sale of electricity produced by  the volume produced from Lake Sevan, which exceeds 170 million cubic  meters. On July 17, National Assembly of Armenia approved the  amendments to the program "On the restoration, conservation,  reproduction and use of the Lake Sevan ecosystem," according to which  the volume of water releases from Lake Sevan from 170 million cubic  meters was increased in 2017. Up to 270 million cubic meters. The  reason for the increase in water releases was the fact that in the  current year the occupancy of the Aparan and Azat reservoirs was 17  million cubic meters less than in the previous year, while the  Hrazdan River is less than 40 million cubic meters full. In addition,  the Akhuryanskoye reservoir was filled with 105 million cubic meters  less. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Nature Protection of Armenia earlier  opposed the proposal to increase the water intake from Sevan from the  previously approved rate of 170 million cubic meters. M to 1 billion  cubic meters. M in the next 3 years, for the development of  hydropower and agriculture. As the head of the department Artsvik  Minasyan stated, from Lake Sevan it is impossible to produce more  water, even for energy purposes. In addition, according to experts, a  decrease in the water level in Sevan will lead to irreversible  consequences. Bardukh Gabrielyan, director of the Scientific Center  for Animal Husbandry and Hydroecology at the National Academy of  Sciences of Armenia, said this will lead to increased water logging  in the lake.