Gagik Makaryan:Armenian NPP keeps price balance for electric power in the Republic

ArmInfo. Armenian Nuclear Power  Plant plays an important role in socio-economic and political life of  the Republic, stated Gagik Makaryan, Chairman of the Republican Union  of employers.  According to him, the plant together with hydropower  objects has essential affect on keeping the price balance for  electric power, which affects positively both the development of  economy of the country, and the social situation of the citizens in  the country. Besides, the existence of Nuclear Power Plant is the  supporting factor for our aggressive neighbors. Pointing the  consummation of the resource of exploitation of the plant, the expert  stressed the importance of the implementation of the 2nd Unit  lifetime extension project, producing from 30 to 40 percents of all  the energy power producing in Armenia.

Gagik Makaryan reminded that currently the searches of investors are  being done for building new ANPP bloc. However, according to him,  taking into account the high price of the project which needs billion  of dollars to raise , it is necessary to develop the optional energy,  including wind and solar. According to him Armenia, thanks to  specific geographical position, has all the necessary potentials for  the  development of renewal  sources of generation. As the expert  noted, the data of the source will cost Armenia much higher than the  energy power, produced at  ANPP and HPP. Nevertheless, using the  instruments of increasing the effectiveness, using the innovative  technologies, it is possible to reach the reduction of the tariffs of  energy power, using the data of means of operation.

Armenian Government made a decision on ANPP 2nd Unit lifetime  extension   in March 2014, related with the holdbacks in the  buildings of new nuclear energetic bloc. RosAtom together with  Armenian experts arranged to work on the implementation of the  project on prolonging the terms of ANPP exploitation for 10 years,  till 2026. It is scheduled that the works will pass 5 year and end in  2019. Russia funded Armenia for these aims state export credit in the  sum of $270 mln and grant of $30mln.