Tehran, Iran, June 15
By Mehdi Sepahvand - Trend:
Tehran and Yerevan are holding negotiations over the exports of electricity and related goods and services.
The talks have been held between Iran's Power Research Institute of Iran and Armenia's Scientific Research Institute of Energy (SRIE) in Tehran, Press TV reported June 15.
Mohammad Sadeq Qazizadeh, head of the Power Research Institute, said the talks led to initial agreements for the construction of the assembly line of some electric hardware in Armenia.
The latest discussions follow SRIE's reported readiness to enhance power and energy ties with the Iranian institute.
Iran and Armenia signed a deal in 2004, based on which, Iran exported natural gas to its northwestern neighbor to generate electricity and in return, Armenia exported electricity to Iran.
Iran reportedly exports nearly one million cubic meters of natural gas to Armenia per day. Officials in Tehran had previously said that the volume could increase to as high as six million cubic meters per day.
Last August, Iran and Armenia signed a new contract for the construction of the third power transmission line that would enable the two countries to exchange more electricity.
The new power line, due to be completed in 18 months, is expected to increase the volume of electricity exports from Armenia to Iran by 700 megawatts to reach a total of 1,000 megawatts.
Iranian officials said last October that Armenia had already started work over a 400-kilovolt power transmission line in addition to a combined-cycle power plant and that Yerevan had asked Tehran to supply the natural gas it needs to get the plant going.