Armenia approves program for development of hydro-electric power

Armenia has approved a program for strategic development of hydro
electric power, RIA Novosti reports.

The program will regulate construction of dams, studies of technical
conditions of dams to improve their efficiency and stimulation of use
of hydro power.

Additional 450 MW of power are expected. Armenia will increase
electricity production and reduce import of hydro carbon fuel and gas
emissions. The state will build three new major dams, carry out
studies of minor dam output and modernize the Vorotansky cascade and
Dzora hydro plant.

Rivers Debed, Dzoraget and Araks are still unused for power generation.
The Commission for Regulation of Power Services of Armenia proposed
setting of minor dam output at 30 MW. Output of 101 minor dams on
March 1, 2011, reached 129.47 MW, about 409.9 million KW per hour
annually.

Licenses were issued for construction of 74 minor dams with a total
output of 140.6 MW.