Public Seminar Explores Risk Management in Small Hydro Power Plants

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YEREVAN, Armenia – On February 13, 2014, the American University of Armenia’s (AUA) College of Science and Engineering (CSE) and the AUA Acopian Center for the Environment (AUA ACE) co-organized a public seminar on management of risks associated with hydro-power development in Armenia.

The seminar was led by Mr. Tigran Parvanyan, project manager of the Armenian Sustainable Energy Finance Project of the International Finance Corporation. Mr. Parvanyan oversees the financing of more than $15 million in energy projects, particularly small hydro plants, through private sector lenders.

The talk provided an overview of the small hydro power technology. Mr. Parvanyan also analyzed the risks of building and operating these plants in Armenia from various viewpoints, including those of the developer, of policymakers, and of environmentalists. Through review of cases he pointed out areas where improvements in design capacity, construction management, occupational safety, and environmental compliance can significantly reduce risks associated with small hydro power plants.

Currently there are 139 operating small hydro power plants in Armenia with installed capacity of 218 megawatts. An additional 77 have permits and are under construction. With these new plants coming on line, the installed capacity will increase to 380 megawatts with an estimated power generation of 1,243 gigawatt hours per year, or about half of what Armenia’s Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant produces every year.

The PowerPoint presentation may be viewed here.

The AUA Acopian Center for the Environment (AUA ACE) is a research center of the American University of Armenia. AUA ACE promotes the protection and restoration of the natural environment through research, education, and community outreach. AUA ACE’s focus areas include sustainable natural resource management, biodiversity and conservation, greening the built environment, clean energy and energy efficiency, as well as information technology and the environment.

  

Mr. Tigran Parvanyan, project manager of the Armenian Sustainable Energy Finance Project of the International Finance Corporation, speaks about risk management in small hydro power plants in Armenia.