Tehran, Iran, August 10
By Mehdi Sepahvand -- Trend:
Iran and Armenia have signed a contract to launch their third electricity transmission line.
The line is a double-circuit 400 kV line and was signed by CEO of Iran's Bank Saderat Ali Saleh Abadi and Aram Ananian, managing director of Armenia's High Voltage Electricity Network (HVEN), Shana news agency reported August 10.
The estimated cost of stretching the transmission line is €107.9 million and Iran is going to provide for €83 million of it.
The line is planned to turn operational in 18 months.
Speaking on the sidelines of the ceremony of signing the agreement, Saleh Abadi said Iran and Armenia have experienced good mutual cooperation in gas and electricity barter.
He added that Georgia can also use the transmission line to transmit electricity among the three countries.
The Iranian company Sanir will carry out the projects technical and executive parts.
The Armenian signatory for his part said the project has been discussed for three years.
The present transmission lines between the two countries have a capacity to transmit 300 MW, he pointed out.
He added that by launching the line, Iran's power grid will join those of Armenia, Georgia, Russia, and Turkey.
According to the Iranian Energy Ministry's weekly report, Iran's electricity output reached about 104 billion kWh in first four months and two days (126 days) of current fiscal year, while this figure was 101.5 billion kWh in the same period of last year (March 21 to July 24).
On the other hand, during this period, the country's power production capacity increased by 373 MW (two 160-MW hydropower plants + 53-MW gas power plant).
Iran's electricity export fell by 17 percent to 3.336 billion kWh, while imports rose by 17 percent to 1.503 billion kWh in last four months.
Edited by CN
