Vladimir Bredov: Armenian NPP Unit 2 life extension project will be implemented in record-breaking time

ArmInfo. Life extension project of Armenian NPP Unit 2 which usually takes 10 years is necessary to implement in record-breaking time, Head of the project from the Russian side Vladimir Bredov stated today during a meeting with students and professors of National Polytechnic University of Armenia.

According to him the activities within the project, which must be implemented till the end of 2019 were launched in June 2015.  In fact 4.5 years are left, during which an enormous amount of work should be done. It is planned to use Russia's experience where the implementation of such projects takes usually 10- 12 years. This year the process of examining the main equipment, buildings, constructions and facilities will be finished. As of today, 4500 units have been examined. The equipment to be supplied to the stations is expensive and significant period of time, from 16 to 36 months, is needed for its production, while there is almost no time left. That is why a decision was made to launch activities in parallel regime which is reflected in the intergovernmental agreement. The examination process is currently ahead of the schedule.  As a matter of priority it is planned to replace 1147 units of equipment, 1749 units are subject to additional examination.

At the same time as the head of the project informed the list of the primary equipment has been compiled, the plans and schedules of work on modernization have been drown up not waiting till the end of the complete examination. "The schedules of work have been signed by the both sides and are published on the website of Rusatom Service, and any of the sides may control the implementation of these schedules", Bredov informed. He added that Rusatom Service as the managing company of the project has set itself a task to involve in it the maximum big number of largest suppliers of equipment for which 2 seminars have already been organized- on turbine equipment and generators.

Recalling that the project is being implemented through the 270 mln USD loan and 30 mln USD grant from Russia Vladimir Bredov noted that one of the main components of the project is increasing the safety of the Unit 2 of the Armenian NPP. He brought the example of Kolskaya NPP where the security was increased 50 -fold due to implementation of a similar project. The project is also social, as if the NPP did not exist, the tariff on electricity in Armenia would total 9.92 AMD for 1 KW/h while after the modernization the tariff will grow by 2.5-fold only. The project implementation is under permanent control of Russia and Armenia's authorities. In Armenia an interagency investment committee has been set up, which studies and approves the package of purchase documents. The process of approval is quite complex and needs serious analysis. By the September of 2016 the work on developing investment project will be finished and the committee will study it. But at the same time because of the shortness of terms steps for order and supply of equipment are already being taken. For instance in 2018 the turbo generator must be replaced and 24 months are needed for producing its components. That is why it is necessary to deal with these issues today and for this reason the tender procedures for choosing the suppliers are applied. This is important for ensuring the transparency of all the process of purchases, in which Armenian companies are also involved actively. Particularly one of Armenian companies "Armatom" won in a tender for supplying systems of industrial seismic safety.