A powerful scientific and educational cluster on nuclear research can be formed in Armenia

ArmInfo. A powerful  scientific and educational cluster on nuclear research can be formed  in Armenia. The first step in this direction will be the creation of  a laboratory for technical and criminal expertise of nuclear and  radioactive materials. A Memorandum of Understanding on the  establishment of a joint laboratory was signed between CJSC "Armenian  Nuclear Power Plant" and the National Polytechnic University of  Armenia.

Commenting on this fact, Deputy Dean of the Energy Department of the  National Scientific and Practical Center of Armenia, Aram Gevorgyan  noted that the joint laboratory for nuclear and radioactive materials  will be created jointly by the Regional Center for Nuclear Safety  Research of the NPP and the Laboratory of External Radiation Control  of the Armenian NPP. It is designed to combine scientific and  educational activities in the field of technical and criminological  expertise of nuclear and radioactive materials aimed at coordinating,  increasing the effectiveness and level of international recognition  of research in Armenia in these areas.

Aram Gevorgyan emphasized that the main activities of the laboratory  will be technical and crimiological examination of nuclear and  radioactive materials, detection and neutralization of uncontrolled  or unused radioactive sources, development of a scientific and  technical analysis of the prospects for the development of nuclear  power in the country. For example, at present, Gevorgyan continued,  the laboratory has already received the first order for research of  rock samples taken from the territory adjacent to the Kapan Mining  and Processing Plant and its tailing dumps for the presence of  radioactive materials in them. In other words, in addition to  scientific research, the work of the laboratory will be of an applied  nature.

Much attention will be paid to the development and implementation of  scientific, technical and scientific and educational programs in the  field of technological and criminological expertise of nuclear  radioactive materials, development and implementation of educational  programs, preparation and implementation of scientific and  educational grant projects, organization of conferences, youth  schools and other scientific events. It is also expected that the  laboratory will develop projects in the field of non-energy nuclear  technologies, especially in such areas as nuclear medicine, nuclear  agriculture, etc.  In the future, the laboratory will be replenished  with appropriate equipment. In the process of project development,  scientists, as well as teachers of higher education institutions and  students will be actively involved. The expert stressed that the  laboratory will be located in the city of Metsamor, where the  Armenian nuclear power plant functions. It will be fully profitable  in the very near future. In addition to NPPs and NPCs of the Republic  of Armenia, its base will be accessible to scientific institutions  and universities, including scientific institutions of the National  Academy of Sciences, Yerevan State University, Yerevan Institute of  Physics, "Armatom" Research Institute. Earlier, in the interview to  ArmInfo, the senior researcher of the Joint Institute for Nuclear  Research in Dubna, the candidate of physical and mathematical  sciences Hrach Torosyan, spoke about the need to form a scientific  and educational cluster around the Armenian nuclear power plant and  the Yerevan Institute of Physics.  According to him, the institute is  ready to lend a helping hand in creating such a cluster, and  establishing mutually beneficial cooperation.  Armenian nuclear power  plant is located in Metsamor, it consists of two units with Soviet  (Russian) reactors. The first unit was commissioned in 1976, the  second - in 1980. In March 1989, after the Spitak earthquake, which  killed 25 thousand people, the station's work was stopped. In  November 1995, in connection with the most acute energy crisis, the  second power unit of the station with a capacity of 407.5 MW was  involved. In March 2014, the Armenian government decided to extend  the life of the second power unit by 10 years - until 2026. The  project is coordinated by the subsidiary structure of the State  Corporation Rosatom - JSC Rusatom Service. Completion of work is  planned for 2019. The Government of the Russian Federation allocated  a $ 270 million state export loan to Armenia and a $ 30 million grant  for these purposes. In March 2015, the Joint Coordination Committee  (JCC) was established to implement the program. To date, four  meetings of the JCC have been held.