From June 1, Armenia`s NPP`s 2nd block`s reactor to be shut down as part of preventive maintenance

ArmInfo.  The reactor of the  2nd unit of the Armenian NPP will be shut down from June 1 as part of  the preventive maintenance program, the press service of the Ministry  of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources of Armenia reports.  According to the press release, with the shutdown of the reactor, the  3rd turbo generator will also be stopped, other units of the second  block are to be replaced or modernized.

The department informed that the 6th meeting of the Armenian-Russian  Coordination Committee on the implementation of the modernization  program of the Armenian NPP was held yesterday, during which the  parties discussed the results of the work done and determined the  future plans by signing the appropriate protocol. 

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  turned on. 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.