Stepanakert residents report everyday power outages

Power (electricity) outages in Stepanakert occur every day, the townspeople have complained. The power supply system in Nagorno-Karabakh works in the emergency mode, a source from a power company has explained.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Nagorno-Karabakh faced a shortage of energy after the agreement on the ceasefire had been signed. Out of 36 hydroelectric power plants (HPPs), only six remain in the region, and their capacities are insufficient to provide the supply of electricity to the entire population, the Ministry of Economy of the unrecognized republic reports.

Residents of Nagorno-Karabakh are constantly facing problems with infrastructure, Vardges Ovyan, a Stepanakert resident, has confirmed. "One day there is no gas; the next day there is no electricity; then, there is no Internet. Yesterday, there was no electricity and Internet; and today, the same," Mr Ovyan wrote in his Facebook page on December 7, whose words were translated by the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

His words were confirmed by Astkhik Petrosyan, a woman from the capital of the unrecognized republic. "The situation in Karabakh is so chaotic that it is impossible to understand from which side to expect the next threat," she told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Before the aggravation of the conflict, Nagorno-Karabakh was supplied with electricity from Armenia through Karvachar (the Azerbaijani name is Kelbadjar) and Shinuair in the Syunik Region of Armenia. The power line from Shinuair is damaged; and it has not been possible to restore it yet, an employee of the enterprise in charge of supplying power to Nagorno-Karabakh told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent. "The damage can be repaired in a day, but negotiations are underway with the Azerbaijanis; and they have not yet reached an agreement. Azerbaijanis do not allow the restoration of the power line, which runs near Shusha," he said.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on December 11, 2020 at 07:13 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.