05 October 2010, 23:20
Armenia starts building its second wind farm
The Italian Company "Gierre" has begun building, near the Karakhach Pass, Shirak Region, Armenia's second wind farm; the power will make 90 MW. This was reported by Armen Movsisyan, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of Armenia.
According to his story, the construction has two phases. The Minister has reminded that the agreement on building this station was signed with the Italian company in 2008.
The Italian investors plan to invest some 130 million US dollars into the construction of the power plant. Mr Movsisyan has expressed hope that the wind farm will be completed in two years. The farm will comprise 80 wind power generating units to the total power of about 90 MW.
In 2005, within the Armenian-Iranian intergovernmental programme, the first Armenia's wind farm with the power of 2.6 MW was built on the Pushkin Pass, located in the Lori Region between the cities of Vanadzor and Stepanavan, built the first wind power plant in Armenia, with a capacity of. The plant comprising four units generates about 5 million kWh of electricity per year; its construction cost about 3.1 million US dollars.
Let us note here that according to the Ministry of Energy of Armenia, the country's wind potential power makes 400 MW. The most promising locations, in terms of using wind energy, are the Zoda Pass near Lake Sevan, Karakhach and Pushkin Passes, area of Gegam Mountains, Aparana District in northwest of Armenia, hills between Sisian and Goris in the east, and Megri District near the border with Iran.
Author: Lilit Ovanisyan Source: CK correspondent
