Gegharot Small Hydropower Plant in Armenia

AMS-I.D. - Grid connected renewable electricity generation

Zettalument LLC

TRICORONA AB

The overall objective of the project is to meet the increasing national demand for power by generating clean renewable energy and sell it to the Electric Network of Armenia CJSC through a power purchase agreement contract with duration of 15 years.

The project aims to install and operate small-scale hydropower plant with total capacity of 3.6 MW at the foot of the Mountain Aragats, on the river Gegharot. The Gegharot SHPP is expected to generate 12.37 GWh of electricity annually.

The Gegharot Small Hydropower Project (SHPP) mainly consists of the headworks with appurtenant structures, an embedded penstock and the powerhouse with the hydro-mechanical and electrical equipment.

The headworks of Gegharot SHPP are located in a remote area at the foot of the mountain Aragats. They convey the water to the headrace system. No daily storage device was foreseen at the headworks.

Gegharot SHPP utilizes a natural head of 338 m between the headworks and the village of Aragats.

The following outcomes are expected in case of project materialization:

• Generation of permanent and temporary employment opportunities;
• Contribution to energy security;
• Reduction of harmful emissions;
• Attraction of capital and contribution to the economic development of the local community;
• Contribution to reliability of energy supply.

After finalization of the PDD the document was officially submitted to the Ministry of Nature Protection of RA as a main beneficiary of the TACIS project. In 2006 MoNP transferred the document to Hokkaido Electric Power Co. for its further development and promotion. In May 2007 Hokkaido Electric Power Co. informed the Armenian CDM DNA on cancellation of its participation in the project developed due to a small number of CERs as well as uncertainties with Post Kyoto period.

In December 10, 2007, after a series of meetings and discussions, the project owner signed an agreement (Emission Reduction Purchase Agreement) with TRICORONA AB aimed at sale of CERs generated by the project during the first crediting period. Under the mentioned agreement TRICORONA AB updated the existing PDD and initiate its validation and national approval in 2011.