21 March 2009, 16:00
HPP construction starts in Armenian-Iranian border
In the Armenian border with Iran, a joint project of building the Megrin Hydraulic Power Plant (HPP) on the Araks border river has started. According to Armen Movsisyan, Minister of Energy of Armenia, the HPP will be finished in five years.
Mr Movsisyan has noted that Iran will invest 280 million US dollars into this joint Armenian-Iranian project of Megrin HPP. According to the funding scheme of the project, developed by Armenian and Iranian experts, the new Power Plant will be built on Iranian funds, while Armenia will pay its share by electricity deliveries.
According to the Minister, the work has already started, and the construction will be at full swing within the nearest two months - with the start of cutting the required tunnel. Now, the issues are settled of allocating the building sites, building a settlement for builders and a corresponding infrastructure.
Earlier, the Minister has reported that by its parameters the Megrin HPP will have no analogues in Southern Caucasus. The project power capacity makes 140 megawatts at the annual output of 850 million kilowatt-hours of electric power. The HPP consists of two parts, located on the Armenian and Iranian banks of the Araks border river. The HPP will belong to Armenia, it is planned to be connected to the system in 2014.
Author: Lylyt Ovanisyan Source: CK correspondent
