Wednesday, November 17 2021 15:17

ArmInfo.The second reactor of the Armenian nuclear power plant (NPP) will be connected to Armenia`s power grid on November 17. This is the longest and most important planned maintenance. In an interview with ArmInfo, Ashot Martirosyan,  Chairman of the Nuclear Safety Committee, RA Government, told about  the work to extend the Armenian NPP`s operation life until 2026. 

Q. This year the NPP has been shut down for almost five months and,  as the NPP administration states, tremendous work has been done. What  is the Committee`s assessment of the work, particularly the recovery  annealing of the water-water power reactor (WWPR)-440 of the 2nd  power unit, modernization of the principal safety systems - emergency  core cooling system, sprinkler system, feeding system, in-core  control, and computer system?

A.  Recovery annealing was done under a program and received a  positive assessment. It enabled up to restore the performance of the  reactor`s metal up to 80%-85%.

We had problems with the emergency core cooling system, and the NPP  was not capable of completely modifying the system during the planned  maintenance. So it was allowed to operate at 100% capacity, and it  will operate at 98% until April 1, 2022, provided it completes  modification until the end of the next planned maintenance. But this  factor is not a cause of problems as safety is based on calculations.   Sprinkler system was modernized, but tests showed some off-spec  drifts. The causes must be identified before the end of the next  planned maintenance to raise the system`s efficiency.  The tests did  not reveal any problems with the in-core control and computer systems  as these are more modern.  

So the Committee extended the safety license for the Armenian NPP on  a number of conditions. 

Q. And one more question of no less importance: it concerns the spent  nuclear fuel storage, which is under the direct control of the  International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and of the Committee. Is it  filled? If it is not, how much free space is available? If it is, is  the construction of a new bay planned? 

A. The storage is not filled about 75%, and it has sufficient space  until 2024. the NPP administration is now considering a number of  schemes: either a horizontal dry storage or, for example,  container-type storage.  The issue is being considered in terms of  both safety and fund saving. 

Q. After the 2021 planned maintenance, for what period has the  license been extended?

A. As a regulatory body, the Committee issues a license guaranteeing  safe NPP operation, with terms of license properly observed. I`d like  to remind you that the second reactor was put into operation in 1980  (the first, in 1976), with a design life of 30 years. However, since  the reactor was shut down after the 1988 earthquake and remained  inoperative for six years and a half, its design life expired in  2016. However, the regulatory body allowed he NPP operation until  2021 on a number of conditions and provided the planned maintenance  was completed both in 2016 (operating status, remaining life, etc.)  and before 2021.  Specifically, under the license, the Committee  demanded modification of safety systems by 2021. After that was done,  the Committee extended the license until April 2031.  The previous  safety license (issued in 2011) expired this April, but since the NPP  was to be shut down for planned maintenance this May, the license was  extended until the end of the maintenance. Thereafter, according to  the Law on Licensing, that license was automatically renewed for  another 10 years - until 2031. Also, if the reactor life is known to  expire in, for example, 2029 or if safety improvements are not  complete, the reactor will be shut down even if the license is  effective. The official statement in this case is as follows:  "Operation at a zero heat capacity is permitted," that is, the NPP  will not generate electric energy, but will still remain operative as  the nuclear fuel has not been used up.  The Armenian NPP, in  cooperation with the RosAtomService, has drafted a concept of the  second phase of extension of the operating life of the second reactor  until 2031. Under the document, the NPP`s operating life will be  extended for another 10 years after the NPP modernization. The work  on additional license terms is simultaneously in progress, with the  NPP supposed to honor them both until the next planned maintenance  and during the following years. That is, under the terms, the NPP  will have to substantiate its licensing in 2026, proving the work  under the license terms properly done with modern-day safety  requirements observed.  Besides, during the following five years, the  NPP will regularly make necessary safety evaluations and implement  measures not only to improve safety (installation of new systems,  modification of the actually operating ones), but also to raise the  operating efficiency. In this case, the regulatory body will license  the NPP operation until 2031.

Q. Rumors are circulating about the extension of the NPP operation  until 2036. 

A. It is yet a mere desire. After 2026, the NPP will have to  substantiate the reactor`s operating life for another 5 or 10 years.  No extension can be discussed before all the relevant measures and  evaluations. At present, the maximum operating life of the reactor is  until 2026. As to the following period, everything depends on how  well the license terms will be observed. 

Q. Mr Martirosyan, the signing of the European Union-Armenia  Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) was followed  by talks in 2017 about Yerevan`s alleged commitment to shut down the  Metsamor NPP. In this context, are the talks about the extension of  the NPP`s operation until 2026 wee- grounded? 

A. The agreement does not stipulate immediate shutdown of the second  reactor. The parties only pledged to cooperate in shutting down and  safely putting the Mestamor NPP out of operation as soon as possible,  as well as in approving a plan of action to replace it with new  energy-generating capacities. But no shutdown terms are indicated. 

Q. According to some reports, the construction of small NPPs could be  launched after 2036.

A. But it is only talks now. The regulatory body has not received any  information on modular reactors. 

Q. Mr Martirosyan, should a decision on the NPP shutdown with a view  to putting it out of operation later be approved, how much time will  demounting take?

A. International practice shows that safely putting nuclear reactors  out of operation to the "green lawn" state (the natural background  before the NPP construction) requires not only careful planning, but  also serious funds. So everything depends on countries` financial  potential and in our case it may take up to 70 years.