By Arshaluys Mghdesyan
In response to mounting concerns over frequent power outages, the Electric Networks of Armenia (ENA) has unveiled an ambitious modernization project for Yerevan’s power supply system, set to be completed by 2026. In an interview with CivilNet, ENA Technical Director David Grigoryan said that the project’s primary objective is eliminating power disruptions in the capital, starting from the city’s center.
An automated control system is expected to reduce power outages by 98 percent, Grigoryan explained, adding that a new technology that monitors and controls the power grid in real-time will be used.
The announcement comes amid growing frustration over increasingly frequent and prolonged power outages across Yerevan. ENA’s analysis reveals multiple contributing factors, not all within the company’s direct control.
The situation is compounded by mounting pressure on the power grid, with official records showing an influx of roughly 68,000 new subscribers in the capital over the past three years, significantly straining the existing infrastructure.
“Our investment in new connections reached 18-20 billion drams [45 to 50 million dollars] last year alone, following a 22 billion dram [55 million dollar] investment the previous year,” Grigoryan noted. A shifting consumption pattern has emerged alongside these challenges. “Peak power usage has shifted from the New Year holiday period to July-August, driven by increased air conditioning use, business expansion, and rising living standards,” he said.
The comprehensive modernization plan will also see major infrastructure renovation. “We’re installing backup infrastructure: a second cable line and transformer. The automated system will seamlessly switch to the backup line if the primary cable fails, so there will be no need for manual intervention,” Grigoryan explained.
With distribution point reconstruction already underway, the project is set to be completed by the end of next year. Grigoryan clarified that the change draws experience and expertise from a similar modernization campaign recently implemented in the Georgian capital Tbilisi.
ENA, Armenia’s primary electrical distribution network operator, manages power distribution and sales across the country, serving over one million subscribers. It is owned by the Russian-based Tashir Group, a business conglomerate controlled by the Armenia-born businessman Samvel Karapetyan.
Earlier in September, numerous media reports claimed that the government was considering nationalizing ENA. Senior lawmaker Babken Tunyan, a member of parliament’s economic affairs committee, has since dismissed the speculation, stressing that Armenia is a market economy.
Shortly thereafter, three top Armenian officials, namely Deputy Economy Minister Narek Teryan, Deputy Infrastructure Minister Hakob Vardanyan, and the government’s Public Services Regulatory Commission chairman, Garegin Baghramyan, handed in their resignations, reportedly due to national leadership’s dissatisfaction over issues in the country’s electricity supply.
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