Armenian government to subsidize electricity price increase for SMEs
Armenian government decided Monday to pay from non-budgetary financial resources the difference the electric power price increase makes in bills of those representatives of small and mid-scale businesses who consume less than 250 kWh every month.
Yervand Zakaryan, energy and natural r resources minister, presented to the Cabinet ministers a draft decree on the measures mitigating the increase in electricity prices for consumers.
In accordance with the draft decree, before completion of the audit at the Electric Networks of Armenia CJSC the government will pay the difference for all those consuming no more than 250 kWh every month.
On Monday, the Electric Networks of Armenia CJSC announced an open tender to choose its auditor, the press office of the company reported on Monday.
Technical task has been worked out by Armenian and Russian energy ministries.
On June 17, the Public Service Regulatory Commission upheld the Armenian Electric Networks CJSC’s intention to increase the prices on August 1 by about 17%.
The decision triggered backlash, and the population took to the streets protesting the increase. The protests lasted about two weeks.
To appease people Serzh Sargsyan, the Armenian president, and Maksim Sokolov, the Russian transport minister, decided to conduct audit in the company, and Sargsyan said that before completion of the audit the burden caused by the increased price will be borne by the Armenian authorities.
The Electric Networks of Armenia, a subsidiary of Russia's RAO UES, is the sole distributor and exporter of electric power in Armenia. ---0----