YEREVAN. - Businesses operating in Armenia must anyway pay for the electricity according to the new tariff, Seda Shahinyan, Head of the Legal and Licensing Department of Armenia’s Public Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC) told Armenian News – NEWS.am.

Referring to the question on whether the Electric Networks of Armenia (ENA) must sign new agreements with legal persons or electricity price hike has come into force by default since August 1, Shahinyan said:

“PSRC decision has come into force since August 1, and regardless of the fact whether the agreements are re-signed, the new tariffs are subject to application. Mechanisms of subsidizing separate groups of business are another issue, which is not within our authority, but is regulated by the Government,” she said.

At the session on August 31, the Armenian Government officially endorsed the electricity tariff subsidy for the population in the amount of the price rise, i.e. 6,93 AMD per kW/h.  Small enterprises will also receive the same subsidy. The rest of the legal persons will have to pay the full amount according to the new tariff.