Gas supplies to Armenia resumed
Russian gas supplies to Armenia through neighboring
Georgia that were suspended last week resumed on Tuesday.
The aftermath of Friday`s breakdown on the trunk gas pipeline in Georgia, which had caused the suspension, have been eliminated, allowing to resolve the problem with deliveries to Armenia, Georgian media quoted the country`s energy ministry as saying.
An explosion on the pipeline`s section passing through the Gardabani region had been caused by corrosion and the spilling of gas. The accident resulted from an increase in pressure in the conduit aiming to pump more gas to meet rising demand.
Georgia receives 10% of its gas in fees for the transit of Russian gas to Armenia, coming to 2 billion cubic meters a year.
Some media reported that the suspension of transporting gas had been caused by Tbilisi`s desire to renegotiate transit fees, not by a breakdown on the pipeline. Although Tbilisi has repeatedly urged Moscow to increase the volume of gas shipments to Georgia, Russia has been reluctant to discuss the issue.
Armenian media hinted that the accident had taken place after Azerbaijan privatized Georgia`s gas sector, thus trying to politicize the issue.
SOCAR Energy Georgia, the Azerbaijani state energy firm`s affiliated company in the neighboring South Caucasus republic, has rejected these allegations as baseless and linked them to Armenian propaganda. The company`s general director, Mahir Mammadov, told a Baku-based TV channel that Azerbaijan merely controls Georgia`s gas distribution network supplying gas to domestic consumers, while the trunk gas pipeline where the accident occurred is state-owned.
The aftermath of Friday`s breakdown on the trunk gas pipeline in Georgia, which had caused the suspension, have been eliminated, allowing to resolve the problem with deliveries to Armenia, Georgian media quoted the country`s energy ministry as saying.
An explosion on the pipeline`s section passing through the Gardabani region had been caused by corrosion and the spilling of gas. The accident resulted from an increase in pressure in the conduit aiming to pump more gas to meet rising demand.
Georgia receives 10% of its gas in fees for the transit of Russian gas to Armenia, coming to 2 billion cubic meters a year.
Some media reported that the suspension of transporting gas had been caused by Tbilisi`s desire to renegotiate transit fees, not by a breakdown on the pipeline. Although Tbilisi has repeatedly urged Moscow to increase the volume of gas shipments to Georgia, Russia has been reluctant to discuss the issue.
Armenian media hinted that the accident had taken place after Azerbaijan privatized Georgia`s gas sector, thus trying to politicize the issue.
SOCAR Energy Georgia, the Azerbaijani state energy firm`s affiliated company in the neighboring South Caucasus republic, has rejected these allegations as baseless and linked them to Armenian propaganda. The company`s general director, Mahir Mammadov, told a Baku-based TV channel that Azerbaijan merely controls Georgia`s gas distribution network supplying gas to domestic consumers, while the trunk gas pipeline where the accident occurred is state-owned.
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