Armenia and the IAEA Discuss Extension of the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant and Selection of a Model for a New Nuclear Power Plant

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On September 15, David Khudatyan, Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of Armenia, and Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), held talks in Vienna, during which the two sides held in-depth discussions on the progress of the life extension project for Unit 2 of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant (ANPP) and the selection of a model for a new nuclear power plant.

According to a message posted by Khudatyan on social media, the talks were held during the 70th General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

"We discussed with Rafael Grossi the projects currently under way and planned within the framework of industry cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency," Khudatyan said. He noted that the two sides particularly discussed the progress of the life extension project for Unit 2 of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant, as well as issues related to the selection of a model for a new nuclear power plant.

In addition, during the talks, Khudatyan confirmed to Grossi an invitation to visit Armenia and attend the upcoming COP17-related events to be held in the country. Narek Apitonyan, Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of Armenia, Andranik Hovhannisyan, Ambassador of Armenia to Austria, Eduard Martirosyan, General Director of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant Company, and other members of the delegation jointly participated in the talks.

The Armenian Nuclear Power Plant is located near the town of Metsamor, about 30 kilometers west of Yerevan, and is the only nuclear power plant in the South Caucasus region. The plant is one of Armenia's main sources of electricity, accounting for as much as 40% of the country's electricity supply. Its operating life had previously been extended to 2026, and work is currently under way to extend it by another 10 years.

Armenia plans to build a new nuclear power plant within 8 to 10 years. A variety of options are currently being evaluated, and the experience of partners from Russia, the United States, France, and South Korea is being studied in depth. The Armenian side is currently reviewing the preliminary feasibility study prepared by the Russian state nuclear energy corporation Rosatom on the construction of a new 1200-megawatt unit.

Previously, Kirill Komarov, First Deputy General Director of Rosatom, said in response to media questions that the corporation could offer Armenia nuclear reactor options with capacities ranging from 50 megawatts to 1000 megawatts, and in particular could assemble reactors of any required capacity using 50-megawatt modular units.