STEPANAKERT, JANUARY 11, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijan has barred repair crews from accessing the area where the only high-voltage power line supplying Artsakh with electricity from Armenia has been damaged, the government of Artsakh told ARMENPRESS in response to a query.

The damage occurred amid the ongoing Azeri blockade of the Lachin Corridor.

The power transmission line was damaged amid the ongoing blockade.

“Azerbaijan doesn’t allow to carry out damage repair works in the section where the only high-voltage power line supplying Artsakh from Armenia was damaged,” the emergency response headquarters of the Artsakh government said.

The electricity operator of Artsakh earlier said that the only electricity supply line of Artsakh has been damaged.

The 110 KW power line spans from Goris in Armenia to Stepanakert of Artsakh.

The damage happened at 14:35, January 9. The indicators of the system show the location of the damage to be in the Aghavno-Berdzor section.

“Due to the destructive position of the Azerbaijani side it is impossible to organize an inspection and restoration works at this moment in that area, therefore a decision has been made to conduct the power supply through domestic electricity-production plants with respective limitations,” ArtsakhEnergo said in a statement on January 10.

Planned outages will happen starting January 10.

ArtsakhEnergo asked residents to save electricity to avoid additional outages.

The Lachin Corridor is blocked by Azerbaijan since 12 December 2022. The corridor is the only travel and supply route for the 120,000 Armenians of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh). The blockade has caused a humanitarian crisis. Shortages of essential products such as food and medicine prompted Nagorno Karabakh authorities to introduce rationing. Hospitals are keeping planned surgeries on hold. 1,100 residents of Nagorno Karabakh, including 270 children who were in Armenia when the road was blocked are unable to return to their homes.