In January-July of this year, Azerbaijan exported 2 billion 828 million 219.59 thousand kWh of electricity, the monthly report of the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan. According to customs statistics, the cost of this volume of electricity amounted to 314 million 455 thousand 230 US dollars. During the reporting period, the share of electricity exports in Azerbaijan's total exports amounted to 1.51%, and in the export of the country's non-oil sector - 15.67%. That is, if we proceed from the data of the Customs Committee, Azerbaijan on average sold its electricity on foreign markets at a price of 11.12 cents, by 3.44 times higher than the cost of electricity on the wholesale market of Azerbaijan. However, in the region, such prices on the electricity market simply do not exist, they are greatly overstated. On the other hand, Azerbaijan does not supply electricity to European markets, net exports are formed as a result of energy exchange with neighboring countries - Russia, Iran, Georgia and Turkey. Then how did the Customs Committee get such amazing data on electricity exports? Let us start with the fact that the data provided by the Customs Committee of the Republic of Armenia reflects the declared export volumes, that is, the result of the accounting report. In reality, how much Azerbaijan has exported electricity can be found in the reports of another department of the Azerbaijani Government. In January-July 2023, electricity exports amounted to 1 billion 277.3 million kWh, showing a 23.1% increase compared to the same period last year, the monthly report of the Ministry of Energy of Azerbaijan. At the same time, Azerbaijan imported 157.6 million kWh of electricity during the reporting period, which is 88.7% higher than in January-July last year. The Ministry of Energy shows data based on meters, that is, real export volumes. However, the Customs Committee puts the declared data in its reports. The difference between them for 7 months of this year turned out to be 1 billion 550 million 919.59 thousand kWh. By the end of 2022, according to the Ministry of Energy of Azerbaijan, 3.08 billion kWh of electricity was exported. The Customs Committee recorded exports only at the level of 1 billion 711 million kWh. That is, the undeclared volumes were added to the export of electricity only this year. And not only from last year, but also the remainder from 2021. Therefore, suddenly electricity in the export of the non-oil sector of the country showed such record indicators. Next year, even if the Customs Committee manages to declare 100% of the real volumes of Azerbaijani electricity supplies abroad, everything will turn out exactly in the accounting report a negative picture compared to 2023

Source: Turan News Agency