Rosatom has delivered to Armenia a package of detailed proposals for the construction of a new nuclear power unit in the republic, said Russian Ambassador to Armenia Sergei Kopyrkin. “As for the plans to build a new power unit of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant in Metsamor, the ball is in Yerevan’s court,” he said in an interview with the Armenian newspaper Noyyan Tapan.
“A package of detailed and very beneficial proposals for the republic from state corporation Rosatom has been handed over to the Armenian partners,” he noted, adding that Rosatom was ready to begin project implementation as soon as possible. “There are no real alternatives in terms of the availability of reliable, already tested technologies, as well as the attractiveness of financial parameters,” he said.
In October, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Armenia had decided to build a small modular reactor and was discussing a project to build a new reactor with the US, Russia, China, South Korea and France. Meanwhile, Rosatom continues work to extend the operating life of unit 2 at the Armenian NPP (ANPP) in Metsamor, fuel for which is supplied by Russia’s TVEL.
ANPP was built in the 1970s with two Soviet-supplied VVER-440-V230 units but was closed following a devastating earthquake in 1988. However, unit 2 was recommissioned with Russian help in 1995 following severe energy shortages. Unit 2 now accounts for some 39% of Armenia’s total electricity generation. Unit 1 is being decommissioned.
