Baku Eager to Expand Electricity Cooperation with Iran, Russia

Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev said his country has already established transmission lines with Russia and Iran, adding that Baku is eyeing for further trilateral energy cooperation in an upcoming meeting of the energy ministers of the three countries. In an interview with Russia-24 TV Network, Aliyev said that the Azerbaijan-Russia-Iran electricity corridor has vast potentials for energy cooperation among the three neighbors.

"Azerbaijan and Russia cooperate in emergency electric power supply… and we constructed new electricity transmission lines with Iran,” he noted, adding, "Therefore, the electricity power energy is active among Azerbaijan, Iran and Russia." Aliyev added that the countries' energy ministers will discuss collaboration in the field, highlighting that the Azerbaijan Republic is currently exporting electricity to Georgia, Turkey and the European states. Azerbaijan has also established a new line for transferring electricity with Iran. Therefore, the electricity corridor is currently in operation among Iran, Russia and Turkey, he said.

Late in October, Iranian Minister of Energy (Water and Electricity) Reza Ardakanian and his Azeri counterpart exchanged views on the development of bilateral relations in the field of energy, and underlined the need for deepening mutual cooperation. During the meeting in Baku, Ardakanian called for expediting joint construction of hydroelectricity projects of Aras River, bartering gas with electricity and Azeri investment for the construction of a 500-megawatt power plant in Astara Border Region.

In a relevant development in December 2018, Speaker of the National Assembly of Azerbaijan Republic Ogtay Asadov announced that the volume of trade ties between his country and Iran had jumped 40%. “Relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan have always expanded and now they are in their golden era,” Asadov said at a meeting with Governor-General of Iran's Northwestern province of West Azarbaijan Mohammad Mahdi Shahriari in Urmia. "The volume of trade ties between Iran and Azerbaijan has increased 40% in 2018 and it can further grow given the existing capabilities and capacities," he added. - Fars