Armenian government will hardly extend the operation of nuclear power plant in Metsamor beyond 2026
18.06.2015,
17:12
The head of Armenia's State Committee on Nuclear Safety, Ashot Martirosian, indicated today that the government will hardly seek to extend the operation of the nuclear power plant in Metsamor beyond 2026.
YEREVAN, June 18. / ARKA /. The head of Armenia's State Committee on Nuclear Safety, Ashot Martirosian, indicated today that the government will hardly seek to extend the operation of the nuclear power plant in Metsamor beyond 2026.
This past May 5 Armenian MPs approved the signing of two agreements with Russia, both relating to the extension of the service life of the nuclear power plant. Under one of the agreement, Russia will provide Armenia with a credit of $270 million and under another one a $30 million grant. The funds will be provided for 15 years with a 5-year grace period and an interest rate of 3% per annum. The agreements envisage that the loan may be provided in Russian rubles.
Earlier, in late 2014 the sides signed an agreement on the extension of nuclear power plant operation until 2026.
According to Martirosian, when planning the extension of nuclear power plant’s service life, the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources took into account the time span when it will be halted for research in the first stage of the project and for improvement of its safety and replacement of some of the equipment in the second stage.
"According to rough calculations, these will last up to six months, and it is natural that other sources will be used to generate energy during that time,' said Martirosian.
The Metsamor plant located some 30 kilometers west of Yerevan, was built in the 1970s but was closed following a devastating earthquake in 1988 that killed some 25,000 people and devastated much of northern Armenia.
One of the plant’s two VVER 440-V230 light-water reactors was reactivated in 1995. The government wants to build a new facility that 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 as much as $5 billion.-0-
This past May 5 Armenian MPs approved the signing of two agreements with Russia, both relating to the extension of the service life of the nuclear power plant. Under one of the agreement, Russia will provide Armenia with a credit of $270 million and under another one a $30 million grant. The funds will be provided for 15 years with a 5-year grace period and an interest rate of 3% per annum. The agreements envisage that the loan may be provided in Russian rubles.
Earlier, in late 2014 the sides signed an agreement on the extension of nuclear power plant operation until 2026.
According to Martirosian, when planning the extension of nuclear power plant’s service life, the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources took into account the time span when it will be halted for research in the first stage of the project and for improvement of its safety and replacement of some of the equipment in the second stage.
"According to rough calculations, these will last up to six months, and it is natural that other sources will be used to generate energy during that time,' said Martirosian.
The Metsamor plant located some 30 kilometers west of Yerevan, was built in the 1970s but was closed following a devastating earthquake in 1988 that killed some 25,000 people and devastated much of northern Armenia.
One of the plant’s two VVER 440-V230 light-water reactors was reactivated in 1995. The government wants to build a new facility that 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 as much as $5 billion.-0-
