Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said the country could face additional demand for electricity in the near future, driven by the rapid development of artificial intelligence factories in Armenia.

Pashinyan made the remarks during a briefing, where he also commented on Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s statement that the construction of power transmission lines through Armenia to Nakhchivan is being discussed as part of the so-called “Trump Route.”

According to Pashinyan, two aspects should be considered when discussing trade in energy resources.

“Until recently, we used to say that Armenia had excess electricity generation. Now we need to start talking about the possibility that Armenia may face additional demand for electricity. As you can see, artificial intelligence factories are developing rapidly, and they consume electricity on a scale that exceeds our expectations.

“Of course, nothing has changed in our overall situation at this stage. However, investors’ plans, including plans to build new artificial intelligence factories in Armenia, are forcing us to reconsider our energy strategies and align our capabilities with new conditions and expectations,” Pashinyan said.

According to the Armenian prime minister, the government’s strategic goal is to achieve 100% energy independence.

“How? By developing solar power plants and energy storage systems in Armenia. Armenia is very rich in solar energy resources, but that does not mean we will remain outside international electricity trade.

“Sometimes we may export electricity, and sometimes we may import it. We may also have partnerships and cooperation with Azerbaijan in electricity exports and imports, just as we do with all other countries — Turkey, Iran, Georgia and others,” Pashinyan said.

Earlier, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said in an interview with local media in Nakhchivan that Azerbaijan’s electricity grid is currently connected to Russia, Iran, Georgia and Turkey via Georgia.

“Thus, an energy corridor running through Armenia to Nakhchivan and from there to Turkey and Europe would also contribute to ensuring the stability of Armenia’s energy system in the event of a crisis. Therefore, the sooner we implement this, the better,” Aliyev said.

Aliyev also said that Armenia’s nuclear power plant is the country’s main source of energy, but that it is outdated and “not under control,” adding that Armenia could consequently face an energy crisis.