Armenian nuclear power plant brought to 141-day repair halt

YEREVAN, May 15. /ARKA/. On May 15, Armenia's Nuclear Power Plant in Metsamor has been brought to a 141-day halt, the Russian Rosatom state corporation said. It said the halt is part of a string of measures to modernize and extend the service life of the plant.

The modernization is being carried out by Rosatom Service, a division of Rosatom. The halt is the longest since the start of the modernization project, which will improve the efficiency and reliability of the facility that accounts for about 40% of electricity generated in Armenia.

Artur Grigoryan, the chief engineer of the Armenian NPP said that in 2020 all preparations were made for the modernization of the emergency cooling system of the reactor core and the recovery annealing of the reactor vessel. 

This year marks 45 years since the start of operation of the second power unit of the Armenian NPP. The modernization includes restoration of the physical and mechanical properties of the reactor vessel that will enable to operate the facility at least until 2036.

Rosatom's Yuri Sviridenko, head of the project to extend the service life of the Armenian NPP, said the halt will be decisive for the operation of the Armenian NPP.

He said some 120 Russian specialists have already arrived in Armenia to carry out the work. Overall, about 350 nuclear scientists from Russia will be involved in the project.

'This is an important milestone for the development of the nuclear power industry in Armenia, and we are glad to be involved in this project and help our friends create the history of the nuclear industry in Armenia,” he said.

The Armenian nuclear power plant, the only one in the South Caucasus, is located near the town of Metsamor, about 30 km west of Yerevan. The plant annually generates up to 40% of all electricity in Armenia. -0-