Economist: Alternative energy at this stage is not capable for replacing the atomic

ArmInfo. Alternative energy at this stage is not capable of replacing the  nuclear power. ArmInfo Head of the Department of Management and  Business of Yerevan State University, Candidate of Economic Sciences  Karlen Khachatryan stated this to ArmInfo.

According to the economist, renewable energy sources are not yet able  to replace existing ones. "Today, nuclear energy provides 40% of the country's electricity needs. Any other way of obtaining  energy, at least at this stage, is not able to replace nuclear energy  and provide a guaranteed amount of energy production, "he said.  In  this context, the expert evaluates the program for the extension of  the second power unit of the Armenian NPP rather positively. "Nuclear  energy in the modern world remains the cheapest type of energy  production and, in case of non-operation of the power unit, the  corresponding amount of energy should be replaced by expensive energy  received from the HPP or from the CHP, which, of course, will affect  the formation of the cost of electricity in Armenia," explained  Karlen Khachatryan.

Nevertheless, according to him, due to the growth of global energy  consumption, the popularization of renewable energy, as well as the  development of technologies and the reduction of the initial cost of  the same solar batteries, the situation may change. "Perhaps, after  10 years, alternative energy sources - wind, sun and biofuels will  play a more serious role in the country's energy supply," the  economist summed up.  Recall that the project is coordinated by the  subsidiary structure of the State Corporation Rosatom - JSC Rusatom  Service, which, together with Armenian experts, agreed to work on the  implementation of the project to extend the lifetime of the nuclear  power plant for 10 years - until 2026. Completion of work is planned  for 2019.