During a working discussion in the Armenian parliament on September 20, Chairman of the Public Services Regulatory Commission Garegin Baghramyan revealed the causes of frequent power outages in the country. The main issue, he stated, is the aging infrastructure, especially in low-voltage networks.
According to Baghramyan, outside of Yerevan, there has historically been no system of dual power supply, which significantly hinders the quick resolution of outages in the regions. In the capital, when problems arise, there is the possibility to quickly switch power sources, whereas such an option is unavailable in other settlements.
He also pointed out management issues at the "Electric Networks of Armenia" (ENA) company. In particular, he mentioned a lack of coordination in the operations of some company divisions, which is now under investigation.
Between 2016 and 2023, ENA investments amounted to only 230 billion drams (approximately $590 million), significantly less than what is needed. Moreover, investments in improving service quality were 65 billion drams (around $166 million) short of expectations. Baghramyan explained this partly by objective reasons, including the need to connect new subscribers.
Despite the challenges, the authorities plan to reduce the average duration of outages by 25% by 2025 and by another 28% by 2028. To achieve this, a complete overhaul of the small-center infrastructure in Yerevan is planned.
Baghramyan also noted a significant increase in the number of ENA subscribers: from 1 million in 2016 to 1.116 million in 2023, which is 54,500 more than planned. This unexpected growth, occurring primarily between 2019 and 2023, has placed additional strain on the system.
It is worth mentioning that Armenia's energy system has recently been under serious strain. Amid a sharp rise in construction in the country, especially in Yerevan, the existing capacities are often overloaded. This has led to periodic failures and interruptions in power supply.
