Armenia studying know-how of South Korea, Russia, France, and USA to build new nuclear power plant

YEREVAN, June 5. /ARKA/. To build a new nuclear power plant Armenia’s government is studying South Korean, Russian, French and United States’ expertise, General Director of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant Movses Vardanyan said today.

Speaking at a discussion on nuclear power as a means to ensure the country’s energy security and independence Vardanyan said the government was working on extending the service life of the NPP for another 10 years until 2036.

‘The year 2036 is not far off and time will pass fast and this is why we have to start thinking about new nuclear facilities right now," Vardanyan said.

“Our government has requested that we study and review the nuclear units operating in other countries to select the one that will be safer and more economical and also take into account the financial and logistical aspects for transferring the equipment to Armenia," Vardanyan said.

According to him, there is now real work underway with South Korean counterparts, which could offer construction of 1,400 MW and 1000 MW units.

Also, he said, French and U.S. options of modular units are being studied, but much depends on such issues as security, finance and logistics.

Vardanyan said Russian Rosatom in February this year sent Armenia a preliminary feasibility study for the construction of two new power units with a total capacity of 1200 MW.

"There are many specific issues. There are requirements regarding the seismicity of the site; it is necessary to consider the issue of water shortage and logistics problems to deliver the equipment to Armenia. All this is already taken into consideration in Russian proposals," Vardanyan noted.

He emphasized that the Armenian government has not made a final decision yet, but this issue should be settled as soon as possible.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said earlier that his government was negotiating construction of new nuclear power plant with the United States, Russia, as well as with other countries.

"It is no secret that our plans include issues related to the development of nuclear potential. You know that our nuclear power plant has a lifespan. And now we are holding very active talks with several partners on construction of a new nuclear power plant," Pashinyan said during a government Q&A session in parliament.

Pashinyan said an Armenian delegation will soon visit the U.S. to find out about the capabilities of modular nuclear reactors.

"American technologies will give an opportunity to construct modules with a capacity of up to 300 MW, gradually building up the existing capacities," the Prime Minister said.

Maria Longi, coordinator of U.S. Assistance to Europe and Eurasia, said that the U.S. was assessing the feasibility of building small modular nuclear reactors in Armenia.

“In a number of countries, including Armenia, we are assessing the feasibility of small modular nuclear reactors – built with U.S. technology – that could facilitate greater energy independence from both Russia and China,” Longi said during the hearings at the House Foreign Affairs Committee of the U.S. Congress, according to Tass news agency.
The Armenian NPP, the only one in the South Caucasus region, is located near the town of Metsamor, about 30 km west of Yerevan. The plant accounts for about 40% of the total electricity generation. Its service life has been prolonged until 2026, and work on repeated prolongation for another 10 years is in progress.

Armenian government wants to have a new nuclear power plant with a capacity of 1000-1,200 MW to be built in 8-10 years. In 2022, the Armenian government and Rusatom Overseas (a unit of Russian state atomic corporation) signed a MOU to look into construction of a new nuclear power unit in Armenia --0—