Mane Tandilyan Initiates Process for Changing Gas Tariffs for Residents

Mane Tandilyan, the president of the "Country of Living" party, has appealed to the Public Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC) regarding the change of gas tariffs. The party official announced this on her Facebook page.

"I have submitted an application to the Public Services Regulatory Commission. Guided by Article 22 of the Law on Energy of the Republic of Armenia, I have initiated the process for changing the gas tariff for residents, aimed at reducing it by at least 16 drams from the current 143.7 drams per cubic meter," she wrote.

On January 12, 2022, Gazprom Armenia submitted a request to the PSRC for an increase in gas tariffs. As a result, the commission made a decision to raise the gas tariff for several consumer groups, including residents, to 143.7 drams per cubic meter starting from April 1, 2022.

It is known that the price of imported gas affects the gas tariff, which currently stands at $175.21 (according to the PSRC's provision for 8389 kcal/m³ of gas). At the time of calculating and setting the tariff, the price of imported gas was 84,100 drams (with an exchange rate of 480 drams to 1 USD). Since the second half of 2022, the exchange rate of the dollar has significantly decreased, with the average exchange rate for the second half of 2022 being 403 drams, and the average rate for 2023, from the beginning of the year to date, being 390 drams.

As a result, the price of imported gas for Gazprom Armenia has significantly decreased over the past year, averaging 70,000 drams, while currently standing at 67,700 drams. This has also had an impact on the company's financial indicators, as the company made an additional profit of 16 billion drams in 2022 compared to 2021.

It is evident that the current exchange rate situation is considered stable, and the likelihood of an increase in the near future is low, which creates a significant discrepancy in the calculation of the gas tariff. I hope that the relevant authorities will not remain inactive once again regarding this important issue for the public," she added.