Likhachev and Pashinyan discuss extending the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant’s operating life to 2046
Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met in Yerevan to discuss extending the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant’s operating life to 2036. Armenia’s leadership is also considering keeping the plant in operation until 2046, Likhachev said after the visit.
At the meeting, the head of the state corporation said the first phase of the project to extend the plant’s operating life had been completed. Following that phase, the reactor unit received approval to continue operating.
The construction of a new nuclear power plant in Armenia was also discussed, Rosatom said after the meeting. The corporation is offering Armenia technologies for large-, medium- and small-capacity reactor units. The VVER-1000 was among the options it proposed.
Speaking at a briefing after the visit, Likhachev said the corporation had proposed building the plant through an international consortium. He said the new reactor unit should have a capacity of at least 1 GW.
Rosatom will need to prepare its most competitive proposal in the coming months. The Armenian government will select the construction partners and determine the new plant’s technical configuration.