Gas supply monopoly in Armenia will be broken

PanARMENIAN.Net - As Arthur Ghazaryan, former expert at national technical security center, oil products and gas equipment specialist told a news conference in Yerevan, another gas supply company will be operating in Armenia, offering lower than current tariffs. "According to our estimates, a decrease of up to 30% for technical services price is expected," the expert noted.





Dwelling on new company registration, Arthur Ghazaryan specified a number of reasons preventing formation of a new company, among them - fixed PSRC -established prices for gas supply services.



Besides, the expert noted that increased number of gas consumers (over 500 000) in Armenia has to result in decrease of gas supply cost price.



He also informed that study center will be formed jointly with TechnoProgress Russian company, where Russian experts will conduct seminars with company employees.



Arthur Ghazaryan also raised the issue of population awareness on gas utilization safety, stressing the necessity for company in charge of gas supply to inform the population on safety rules, a precaution which was not attended properly. To increase awareness, he suggested creation of a special service center with an ability to promptly reply to special gas sphere-linked situations.



ArmRosGazprom is a natural gas pipeline project launched in 1997. The company has a monopoly on Armenia's domestic gas supply market.



According to official ArmRosGazprom data, as of November 1, 2009, 589419 gas consumers were registered in Armenia.



In accordance with governmental decree, 212748 signaling devices and cutoff valves were installed by ArmRosGazprom as of November 1, 2009.