Armenian nuclear power plant in Metsamor resumes operation
30.11.2010,
23:32
Armenia’s nuclear power plant in Metsamor has resumed operation November 29 after being brought to a halt October 16 for a partial refuelling and regular repairs, the Armenian ministry of energy and natural resources said today.
YEREVAN, November 30, /ARKA/. Armenia’s nuclear power plant in Metsamor has resumed operation November 29 after being brought to a halt October 16 for a partial refuelling and regular repairs, the Armenian ministry of energy and natural resources said today. The halt was used also to raise its operational safety. The plant generated 2.081 billion KWh in the first nine months of the year, by 5% more than in the same time span last year.
The plant is located some 30 kilometers west of Yerevan. It was built in the 1970s but was closed following a devastating earthquake in 1988. One of its two VVER 440-V230 light-water reactors was reactivated in 1995. Armenian authorities said they will build a new nuclear power plant to replace the aging Metsamor plant. The new plant is supposed to operate at twice the capacity of the Soviet-constructed facility. Metsamor currently generates some 40 percent of Armenia's electricity.
But the government has yet to attract funding for the project that was estimated by a U.S.-funded feasibility study to cost at as much as $5 billion. Under a 2003 agreement Armenian nuclear power plant's financial flows are managed by Russian Inter RAO UES, owned by Russian state-run Rosatom corporation. The agreement expires in 2013
Last August Russia and Armenia signed an agreement on cooperation in nuclear energy sphere whereby Russia committed to assume 20% of all expenses, estimated at $1 billion approximately, to build a new reactor. The Armenian government will cover another 20% of expenses and the remaining part is supposed to come from investors. Experts say the plant may operate until 2016.-0-
The plant is located some 30 kilometers west of Yerevan. It was built in the 1970s but was closed following a devastating earthquake in 1988. One of its two VVER 440-V230 light-water reactors was reactivated in 1995. Armenian authorities said they will build a new nuclear power plant to replace the aging Metsamor plant. The new plant is supposed to operate at twice the capacity of the Soviet-constructed facility. Metsamor currently generates some 40 percent of Armenia's electricity.
But the government has yet to attract funding for the project that was estimated by a U.S.-funded feasibility study to cost at as much as $5 billion. Under a 2003 agreement Armenian nuclear power plant's financial flows are managed by Russian Inter RAO UES, owned by Russian state-run Rosatom corporation. The agreement expires in 2013
Last August Russia and Armenia signed an agreement on cooperation in nuclear energy sphere whereby Russia committed to assume 20% of all expenses, estimated at $1 billion approximately, to build a new reactor. The Armenian government will cover another 20% of expenses and the remaining part is supposed to come from investors. Experts say the plant may operate until 2016.-0-
