Epress.am News from Armenia
There are no problems with the caloric value of the gas supplied to Armenia. The only problem is the high price of gas, concluded the leaders of several NGOs that measured the caloric value of the natural gas along with Gazprom Armenia.
Speaking to the press, Armenian Union of Consumers NGO President Armen Poghosyan and Protection of Consumers' Rights NGO Vice President Karen Chilingaryan today said that they participated in the inspection conducted by Gazprom Armenia, made suggestions, and participated in the visit to a randomly selected residential apartment where consumer gas was inspected.
According to the findings of the Gazprom Armenia mobile laboratory, the caloric value of the gas was 8200 kcal. According to Poghosyan, it has to be at least 7900 kcal. "Experience shows that there are times when there's smoke without fire," he said, referring to the many complaints of the low caloric value of the gas.
"We made two demands: first, that the visit occur at a random apartment, with unexpecting tenants. Second, that the gas be obtained and sent in a gas cylinder for examination abroad. The second demand was rejected on the basis that it's expensive and there are technical issues," said Poghosyan.
"We are satisfied with the quality of the gas. The problem is that in our country gas is imported cheaper than, for example, in Georgia, but our inhabitants pay more. This is the issue — not the caloric value," said Chilingaryan.
Journalists, however, were skeptical. They asked the consumers' rights representatives whether experts under the control of one company can make conclusions that are contrary to that company. Poghosyan said that they are right to be skeptical; however, in Armenia, only Gazprom Armenia has a mobile laboratory.
Earlier, Vahan Martirosyan, founder of an initiative called the National Liberation Movement, claimed that Gazprom Armenia is able to reduce the caloric value of natural gas using 3 "miracle devices" each valued at $350,000; moreover, by mixing nitrogen with methane, it can increase the volume of gas.