Four parties submit demand to PSRC over electricity price hike

The four non-government parties – ARF-Dashnaktsutyun, Armenian National Congress (HAK), Prosperous Armenia (BHK) and Heritage Parties – submitted their joint demand to Armenia’s Public Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC). The demand consists of six points:

1. The state should pay a third of 17 billion dram deficit that arose in the energy system.
2. 3-4% reduction in technical losses of electric networks.
3. Review of the generating stations’ depreciation in the tariff.
4. Investments in energy sector should be exempt from taxes.
5. Review and determination of the acceptable amount of profit.
6. Implementation of a program of financial improvement in relations between Electric Networks of Armenia (ENA) Company and generating stations.

“I will make brief comments on those demands. In a country where over 40% of the population is poor and 20% live in abject poverty, yet another price hike will result in various consequences. Therefore this is unacceptable under such social conditions,” BHK parliamentary faction deputy Tigran Urikhanyan told Aysor.am.

“I think no reasonable person will have a different opinion, especially when the matter concerns a company which does not implement its investment package, a company where the alleged production losses very often exceed the real figures, etc.,” he noted, expressing hope that the appropriate bodies will react adequately and take the necessary measures.