Armenian government holds negotiations on construction of the 3rd unit of Armenian NPP

ArmInfo. The government of Armenia holds negotiations on the project of construction of the 3rd unit of Armenian Nuclear Power Plant. Deputy Minister of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources of Armenia Hayk Harutyunyan stated at the press conference today when presenting the priorities and upcoming reforms of the field set in the government program.

According to him various technological solutions and investment schemes are being discussed.

As for the program on extending the life cycle of the second unit of the NPP according to the Deputy Minister activities are being conducted according to the schedule. "Most likely the program will be finished in the end of 2019", Hayk Harutyunyan stated.

Earlier in an interview to ArmInfo Hayk Harutyunyan stated that the development of the nuclear power engineering of Armenia is the best way from the point of providing the country with basic energy. The Deputy Minister recalled that the project of the 10-year life cycle extension is very large, and that time will be enough to take the proper decision in respect to the new unit construction.  According to Harutyunyan's words, the life cycle extension is an objective necessity. He added, that the Ministry instantly observes the intentions of the nuclear energy world market' "We will choose the way of development that will be the most efficient, safe and feasible,' Harutyunyan mentioned.

To recall, in March 2014 the Armenian Government took a decision on extension of the life cycle of the Unit 2 of Armenian Nuclear Power Plant due to delays in the construction of the new Energy Block. The project on 10-year extension (until 2026) is being implemented by Rusatom Service, which is subsidiary of the Rosatom. According to the plan the work will be completed in five years (finished in 2019).  Within this purpose, Russia has allocated to Armenia USD 270mln state export loan and USD 30 mln grant.