Armenia does not yet have massive need for thermal power, Advisor to the Minister of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources of Armenia, HovakimHovhannisyan, told Armenian News – NEWS.am during the groundbreaking of the new thermal station Monday.
The station will be constructed not far from the operating Yerevan Thermal Power Plant, which was put into commission in 2010. The Italian Renco company will be the investor and constructor of the station.
Turbines with combination steam turbine-gas turbine cycle and capacity to produce not only power but also heat were back then installed in the new power generating unit of Yerevan TPP.
The administration of the TPP then received guarantee letters from Nairit plant on the purchase of thermal plant but the expectations weren’t justified: the plant hasn’t been operating since April 2010, while the new station has produced no calorie of heat.
Proposals on cogeneration-based district heating haven’t been made either—neither then nor now.
“Thus, a question rises whether to install devices for thermal power production in the new station. These are, after all, additional expenses,” Hovhannisyan said.
