The Public Services Regulatory Commission held a meeting on Monday approved an invitation to consultations on operation of Armenia’s electric energy system.
The Commission approved the decision in the context of Armenian President Serzh Sagsyan’s statement at a meeting with officials in charge of Armenia’s economic policy on June 27, 2015, with a view to raising the level of public confidence in the Commission and ruling out any comments on the legal or economic grounds for an electricity price rise.
In conformity with the decision, the Commission’s working group has been instructed to send out invitations to the best five international consulting companies and, within three days after the deadline for their offers expires, sum up their offers and present the results to the government staff.
According to the decision, the consultations are supposed to provide reasonable answers to the following questions: Is a planned electricity price rise justified? Is no raising electricity prices a potential threat to Armenia’s energy system?
A consulting company is to conduct an in-depth survey of different options of reducing electricity prices, considering the relevant regional and international procedures and present a list of priority measures as soon as possible.
After the two phases, considering unfolding discussions of the 2016-2036 strategic energy sector development program and a need to compare the results, the consulting company may be involved in further development of a long-term strategic program and in relevant consultations.