Armenia approves €5 million agreement with EC to strengthen nuclear safety and radiation protection
YEREVAN, October 30. /ARКА/. During a meeting on Thursday, the Armenian government sanctioned a proposal to enter into an agreement with the European Commission aimed at Enhancing Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection in Armenia.
Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure David Khudatyan indicated that Armenia is set to receive €5 million in financial assistance to tackle several critical issues related to nuclear safety and radiation protection.
"This agreement serves as a continuation of the agreement established in 2024, under which €12.9 million had already been allocated to Armenia for these objectives. This funding will be utilized to manage beyond-design-basis accidents, particularly to mitigate hydrogen risks," Khudatyan remarked.
The minister further elaborated that in the wake of the incident at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in 2011, all conceivable risks were evaluated, and stress tests for potential accidents were formulated based on these risks, with funding designated to resolve possible challenges.
He mentioned that the specified amount will be allocated to the Nuclear Safety Regulatory Committee for this initiative, and that the Committee, along with the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant, will implement the hydrogen risk mitigation systems.
The Armenian Nuclear Power Plant, the only one in the South Caucasus region, is located near the town of Metsamor, approximately 30 km west of Yerevan. The plant is one of the country's main sources of electricity, providing up to 40% of its total output. Its service life has been extended until 2026, and work is underway to extend it for another 10 years.
The new nuclear power plant is planned to be built within 8-10 years. Various options are currently being compared and the experience of partners from Russia, the United States, and South Korea is being studied.
Earlier, Russian Rosatom Deputy CEO Kirill Komarov told ARKA news agency that the corporation could offer Armenia nuclear reactors with capacities ranging from 50 to 1,000 MW. ($1 - 382.70 drams).-0-
