ArmInfo. On June 12, 2017, the general director of Rosatom State Nuclear Energy Corporation Alexey Likhachev was on a working visit to the Republic of Armenia. During the visit, the head of Rosatom met with the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Karen Karapetyan, where a wide range of issues of cooperation between the two countries in the field of nuclear energy was discussed. Before that, Likhachev visited the site of the Armenian nuclear power plant in the city of Metsamor, the company's press service reported.
According to the source, the key area of cooperation between Russia and Armenia in the nuclear field is the project to extend the life of the existing power unit No. 2 of the nuclear power plant (it generates about 40% of all electricity produced in the country). To implement the project on December 20, 2014, the relevant Intergovernmental Agreement was signed, and on February 5, 2015 - the Agreement on the provision of a loan to finance the project. In December 2016, the first stage of the project was completed - the Russian side carried out a comprehensive survey of the power unit No. 2, developed and handed over to the Armenian customer the program for the preparation of the power unit for an additional period of operation, including the schedule of work. Currently, the plant is scheduled to preventive repairs, and for 2018-2019 a large amount of construction and commissioning is planned, including upgrading of cooling towers, turbine unit, control and safety systems, and other elements of the plant.
At the meeting with the Prime Minister of Armenia, Likhachev noted that Russia has a rich practical experience in the implementation of such programs and understands the importance of the project to extend the life of the station from the point of view of ensuring the country's energy security. "In fact, a deep modernization of Armenia's nuclear facilities will be carried out. Our common goal today is to move clearly on the agreed schedule, observing the unconditional priority of the quality of work and safety requirements," said the head of Rosatom.