The terms of the program to extend the life of Armenian NPP`s second  power unit will be extended until December 31, 2021 

ArmInfo. The terms for the implementation of the program to extend the life of the second power unit of the Armenian NPP will be extended until December 31, 2021.   At the meeting on December 12, the Armenian government approved the  signing of the protocol to the Armenian-Russian agreement of February  5, 2015.

As the Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures of  the Republic of Armenia Suren Papikyan noted in his speech, on the  basis of this document, it was planned to complete the program by  December 31, 2019. For this purpose, the Government of the Russian  Federation issued a loan of $ 270 million and a grant of $ 30 million  to the Government of Armenia. However, as a result of comprehensive  studies of the main and additional equipment carried out within the  framework of the project, the list of planned works was significantly  expanded, and there was a need to extend both the terms of work, and  loan repayments. The remaining funds under the program will be used  to complete work to improve the safety of the Armenian nuclear power  plant.

On December 10, in response to a question from ArmInfo, the Russian  Ambassador to Armenia Sergey Kopyrkin noted that the issue of  attracting the remaining part of the loan for the Armenian NPP will  be discussed at the end of December. "On December 26, a meeting of  the joint coordination committee is planned, at which this issue will  also be the subject of discussion," he explained. 

Earlier, ArmInfo, citing Deputy Minister of Territorial  Administration and Infrastructures of Armenia Hakob Vardanyan,  reported that in total, about $ 200 million (plus minus $ 2 million)  was used in the extension program, of which 90% of credit funds ($  270 million) and 10% of the grant ($ 30 million). The Armenian side  is currently negotiating with Russian partners on the remaining loan  amount. At the same time, payments will not be made on all, but only  on the utilized amount of the loan, since the project is not fully  completed. Starting from January 1, 2020, Armenia should start paying  both at interest rates and the main loan amount. Full modernization  of the unit will lead to more than 10% increase in its efficiency,  which will make it possible to service the loan without any problems. 

To recall, the loan was provided by the Government of the Russian  Federation to Armenia for a period of 15 years with a grace period of  payments of the first three years. This deadline expires December 31,  2019.  Moreover, the annual interest rate on payments is 3%. The main  objectives of the project to extend the life of the 2nd power unit of  the Armenian NPP are to restore the resource and extend the operation  of the station to 10 years (until 2026), increase the level of safety  and efficiency of nuclear power plants. The Armenian NPP consists of  two units with Soviet (Russian) VVER 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 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 activated. In March 2014, the Armenian government decided to  modernize the station and extend the life of the second power unit.