Thursday, April 18 2019 17:53

ArmInfo.The implementation of the modernization program of the second power unit of the Armenian nuclear power plant will lead to an increase in plant capacity by  10%. On this April 18 from the rostrum of the parliament said the  acting Minister of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources of  the Republic of Armenia Garegin Baghramyan.

According to him, the increase in station capacity will lead to an  additional 400-500 million kW / h of relatively cheap electricity  entering the market, which could be the basis for reducing  electricity tariffs in the country. In 2019, continued. Minister, the  station will be carried out full-scale work, which will mainly be  completed in 2020. This year, the Armenian NPP will be stopped for  5-6 months, which should have been an additional burden for the final  tariff for consumers. However, the acting Minister assured, as a  result of the steps taken, there will be no changes in the tariff.

Earlier in a conversation with the  ArmInfo correspondent advisor to  the ANPP General Director Gera Sevikyan noted that for the purpose of  the project, contracts were signed for the supply of equipment in the  amount of $ 205 million. The volume of work performed and the  equipment delivered is $ 140 million. The project will increase the  capacity of the second power unit by 10-12% - from the current  380-400 MW to 420-430 MW. This, in turn, will make it possible to  service the Russian loan of $ 270 million without serious  consequences. In the current year, as in 2018, a large amount of work  has to be performed in the machine room of the station, the second  generator and other auxiliary systems will be replaced. It is also  necessary to modernize the reactor control and protection system,  which is one of the most important systems. In addition, repair work  will be carried out on the upper dome of the reactor, which is  prescribed by the station designer in the person of the Russian  Gidropress Company. Elements of pumps, valves, parts of pipelines  will also be replaced. To this end, the reactor will be shut down for  scheduled preventive maintenance from April 15, and the turbine to be  reconstructed from June of this year. The reactor will stay on repair  110 days, and the turbine to be reconstructed - 5-6 months. Gera  Sevikyan also noted that this year they will not be able to fully  implement the entire program, for this reason, part of the work will  be completed in 2020-2021. According to him, the postponement is due  to a later start of work.

In particular, a comprehensive survey was conducted, and towards the  end of last year, there was a need for additional work. "We, in  particular, are talking about the need to restore the metal  characteristics of the metal of the reactor, emergency cooling of the  reactor core in case of an accident, these are laborious and lengthy  work that we will not have time to do this year," said the Deputy  General Director of the ANPP.