Gazprom seeks to raise gas prices for households in Armenia
By Akbar Mammadov
Armenia's national Russian-owned natural gas distributing company Gazprom-Armenia announced on April 1 that it would ask the Public Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC) to allow it to revise the prices of natural gas supplied to various categories of consumers, Armenian local media reported.
Gazprom Armenia said it wanted the changes to take effect on July 1, 2020 for all consumers, with the exception of thermal power plants, for which the proposed tariffs are to enter into force on August 1, 2020.
It was revealed that the distributor wants to raise the price for consumers who are entitled to family or social allowances (consuming up to 600 cubic meters of gas per year) from the current 100,000 drams (198,3 USD) up to 135,900 drams (269.5 USD) per one thousand cubic meters. The company wants also to lower the gas price for consumers who use up to 10 thousand cubic meters of gas per month, from the current 139,000 drams (275.6 USD) to 135,909 drams (269.5 USD) per one thousand cubic meters.
The company wants also to revise tariffs for the services of the natural gas distributing operator from the current 25.07 drams (0.049 USD) to 23.124 drams (0.045 USD) per one thousand cubic meters. The tariff for the distribution of natural gas is proposed to reduce from 26,947.089 drams (53.44 USD) to 21,724.785 drams (43.08 USD) per one thousand cubic meters, while the tariffs for natural gas transportation services are proposed to increase from 11,347.532 drams (22.5 USD) to 13,282.688 drams (26.34 USD) per one thousand cubic meters.
The spokeswoman for the Public Services Regulatory Commission Liana Azizyan told Novosti-Armenia news agency that the regulator has not yet received the company's application.
Although Russian natural gas is delivered to Armenia by Gazprom at a $165 per one thousand cubic meters, Gazprom’s Armenian subsidiary – Gazprom Armenia – sells it to the bulk of Armenian households at almost $300.
Gazprom Armenia also deals with the storage, distribution and sale of gas. ($1 - 504.22 drams).
Earlier, Caucasus Watch reported that the Armenian authorities are seeking to lower the gas imports from Russia.
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Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97
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