Gas price for the population of Armenia may rise by some 20% and for commercial consumers by 15%. These are preliminary data, said Robert Nazaryan, Head of the Public Services Regulatory Committee of Armenia, in an interview with Haylur program on the Armenian Public Television.
He said that the Committee has not adopted a final decision yet, as it is holding discussions and consultations. Gas price components are currently being studied, particularly, ArmRusgasprom Company's expenses, foreign exchange rate fluctuations, inflation rate for materials and equipment necessary for the gas network, Nazaryan said.
Following the rise of the Russian gas tariff for Armenia from the current $180 per 1,000 cu m to $270, ArmRusgasprom applied to the Public Services Regulatory Commission for increasing the gas tariff for the population by 67.4% - from the current 132,000 drams to 221,000 drams per 1000 cu m, and for the large consumers by 61.3% - from $243 per 1000 cu m to $392. The Government of Armenia has submitted a written application to the Committee for subsidizing 30% of the Russian gas price for Armenia. The last time gas tariff rose in April 2010. Armenia imports also Iranian gas in exchange for electric power - 3,000kWh per 1 cu m.