CONSUMER GAS PRICES SET TO RISE APRIL 10

UNCLAS YEREVAN 000364 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/CARC, EUR/ACE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON ENRG AM SUBJECT: CONSUMER GAS PRICES SET TO RISE APRIL 10 REF: YEREVAN 281 ¶1. Effective April 10, Armenian consumers will pay the Armenian Dram equivalent of USD 0.20 (up from USD 0.13) per cubic meter (residential rate) and USD 0.1465 (up from USD 0.08) per cubic meter (industrial rate) for Russian natural gas under a new pricing scheme adopted by Armenia's Public Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC) March 10. The new rates significantly increase the cost of natural gas for Armenian consumers (52 percent higher for residential consumers and 85 percent higher for industrial consumers). ¶2. ArmRosGazProm's consumer price increase is set to follow an increase in the import price of Russian gas (from USD 0.056 to USD 0.11 per cubic meter) beginning April 1 (reftel). ArmRosGazProm proposed, but the PSRC rejected, an initial scheme which would have increased the price of natural gas for residential customers from the Armenian Dram equivalent of USD 0.13 to USD 0.24 and from USD 0.008 to USD 0.145 per cubic meter for industrial consumers. EVANS