Armenian deputy PM, Russian ambassador discussed cooperation in energy sector
YEREVAN, September 23. /ARKA/. Armenia’s Deputy Prime Minister Suren Papikyan and Russian Ambassador to Armenia Sergey Kopyrkin converged today to look into how to expand cooperation between the two countries in the energy sector.
Papikyan’s office quoted him as saying that the development of this sector is of strategic importance for the country.
In this context, the interlocutors touched upon the expansion of cooperation with Russian nuclear state corporation Rosatom, focusing on the modernization of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant, commissioned to a Rosatom division. They also looked into the prospects for the construction of a new nuclear power plant in Armenia.
The Armenian Nuclear Power 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.
In March 2014, Armenian government decided to extend the plant’s service life up to 2026 because of delay in building a new unit. The service life extension has become possible thanks to Russia’s financial resources. The country provided $270 million to Armenia as a loan and $30 million as a grant. The facility accounts for about 40% of electricity generated in Armenia. -0-
