Defining Technical Requirements for New Small Hydropower Plants

The level of technical capacity of existing small hydropower plants in Armenia is rather low, which negatively affects the production of electric energy and the efficiency of use of water resources. In order to improve the situation it is expected to define some new technical standards within Armenia's HPP development concept which was approved by the Government in the end of the last year.

According to Hayk Badalyan, the head of Renewable Energy and Energy Savings Department of the Staff of the Ministry of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources in the most of the existing small HPPs in Armenia uncertified and relatively cheap equipment is installed. Equipment has been mainly imported from the Russian Federation, the People's Republic of China and the countries of European Union. Armenia has no national standards and technical requirements for using this equipment currently.

The issue of technical requirements for the equipment in small HPPs is currently undergoing the technical regulation process within the Eurasian Economic Union and is being discussed with member countries. Eurasian Commission has been proposed to set technical requirements for equipment installed in small HPP being constructed, reconstructed and re-equipped adopting international standards.

It is expected that adopting technical regulations will improve the exploitation of small power plants in the midterm and provide sustainable development of small hydro energy in the long run. This will help to increase the stability and security of Armenia's energy system and will provide consumers with better quality electric energy with minimum negative impact on the environment.

According to concept it is necessary to install water measuring automatic management systems in the areas of water flows and ecological outlets of small HPPs.