Friday, October 6 2017 15:25

ArmInfo. On October 6, the  fifth meeting of the Joint Coordinating Committee for the project on  the extension of the lifetime of the 2nd unit of the Armenian Nuclear  Power Plant took place.

The meeting was attended by representatives  of Rosatom State Nuclear Energy Corporation, the Ministry of Energy  and Natural Resources of the Republic of Armenia, the State Committee  under the Government of the Republic of Armenia for the Regulation of  Nuclear Safety, JSC Rusatom Service and ZAO Armenian Nuclear Power  Plant (ANPP). The Russian delegation was headed by First Deputy  General Director - Director of the Block for Development and  International Business of the State Corporation Rosatom Kirill  Komarov, Armenian - Minister of Energy Infrastructures and Natural  Resources of the Republic of Armenia Ashot Manukyan.

The meeting participants discussed the results of preventive  maintenance in 2017, as well as the scope and schedule of work to  replace and upgrade the equipment in 2018 and subsequent years.  Within the framework of the meeting, the topic of cooperation in the  field of education, training of personnel and interaction with the  public on the acceptability of the popularization of nuclear energy  was touched upon.  At the 5th meeting of the JCC, it was noted that  this year the station will be supplied with key equipment for the  modernization of the engine room, in particular a turbine generator,  a block transformer and other equipment. " According to Russian  specialists, only in 2018 more than 600 employees of contract  organizations, including Armenian ones, will perform work at the  station.

Also, the meeting participants noted that the infrastructure will be  recreated near the NPP for the implementation of the project. The  railway section from Armavir to Ashaloys has already been rebuilt,  infrastructure facilities are planned to be reconstructed, including  hotels in Armavir, where personnel who work at nuclear power plants  will live. On the territory of the station itself, works will be  carried out to improve the territory.

The Armenian nuclear power plant consists of two units with Soviet  (Russian) WWER 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.

JSC "Rusatom Service" is part of the electric power division of the  State Corporation "Rosatom". The company provides foreign NPPs with  WWER a full range of services and supplies needed to ensure operation  and repair. The company is present in almost all countries with  operating NPPs with WWER outside of Russia. In the markets of China,  Iran, Bulgaria and Armenia, Rusatom Service takes leading positions,  being the general contractor for the extension of the service life,  the implementation of preventive maintenance and upgrading of the  equipment of VVER NPPs. In foreign markets, JSC Rusatom Service has  generated a portfolio of orders worth about $ 500 million.  www.rusatomservice.ru

The State Atomic Energy Corporation "Rosatom" is one of the global  technological leaders. Rosatom unites over 300 enterprises and  scientific institutions, including all civilian companies of the  nuclear industry in Russia, research centers and the world's only  nuclear fleet. Currently, Rosatom is implementing projects to build 8  power units in Russia and 34 power units abroad.  Cooperation between  Rosatom and the Republic of Armenia has been successfully developing  for many years. A key project implemented by Rosatom in Armenia is  the extension of the life of the 2nd power unit of the Armenian NPP.  Rosatom also supplies fuel for the nuclear power plant. An important  place in bilateral cooperation is occupied by joint projects in the  field of health education and training of personnel for the nuclear  industry