Armenian nuclear power plant’s upgrading is underway

YEREVAN, February 6. /ARKA/. Armenia’s energy infrastructure and natural resources ministry said today that the nuclear power plant in Metsamor will upgrade its equipment, systems and power structures within this year, and will implement also a set of measures to improve the level of radiation safety.

It quoted Artem Petrosyan, the head of nuclear energy department at the ministry as saying that the first stage of the work for the extension of the facility’s service life planned for 2016 was successfully completed. In his words, more than 4,500 pieces of equipment, systems and components of the facility had been checked. He said the outcome confirmed the possibility of extending the service life of the power unit until 2026.

The ministry said the study did not found problems that could prevent the extension of the power plant’s service life for 10 years.

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. Armenian authorities said they will build a new nuclear power plant to replace the aging facility. 

The new plant is supposed to operate at twice the capacity of the Soviet-constructed facility.  The plant currently generates some 35 percent of Armenia's electricity. 

In March 2014, Armenian government decided to extend the plant’s service life because of delay in building a new unit. The service life extension has become possible thanks to Russia’s financial resources. The country was to provide $270 million to Armenia as loan and $30 million in grants. --0---