New NPP Construction company could be founded in Armenia

ArmInfo. In order to manage the project for the construction of a new nuclear power unit in Armenia, it is planned to create a closed joint-stock company. The decision to establish a CJSC was made at the meeting of the RA government on August 1.

As RA Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Gnel Sanosyan noted in his speech, the new company will be called "Construction of a New Nuclear Power Unit". According to the RA government program, the peaceful development of nuclear energy is one of the keys to the sustainable development of the energy sector of Armenia, which is envisaged by the strategy for the development of domestic energy until 2040. It is planned, in particular, to replace the capacity of the second power unit of the Armenian NPP, which is currently in operation, at the site of the current station. The RA government does not rule out the construction of a small modular reactor or reactors if economically feasible.

The project for the construction of a new nuclear power unit in Armenia is more institutional and systemic in nature. The proposed project proposes to establish an organization (a closed joint-stock company) that will comply with the standards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The organizational and legal form of the organization and the selection of personnel must also comply with the IAEA standards, and funding must be provided from the state budget of the Republic of Armenia. The general management of the company must be carried out by an authorized body, in this case the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of the Republic of Armenia. The above-mentioned organization must conduct a comparative study of all proposed technologies and feasibility studies, based on which it will submit a professional proposal for the selection of technology. After the proposal is approved by the Government of the Republic of Armenia, the company will have to negotiate and prepare documents related to the construction, financing, ownership and operation of the new nuclear power unit or units after the adoption of the law on the construction of a new nuclear power unit.

The company will have to manage, organize and be responsible for the construction of a new nuclear power unit, i.e. be the project executor. Depending on the stages of the above-mentioned works, the JSC should be staffed with the appropriate personnel, and then become the operator after the completion of the construction of the new unit. According to a rough estimate, about 800 million drams will be allocated for the creation and operation of the company at the preparatory stage in 2024, and 800 million drams in subsequent years.  Taking into account the IAEA recommendations, a staff of 50-60 highly qualified specialists in various fields (electric power industry, nuclear physics, environmental protection, education, urban planning, etc.) is required to implement such a project.

"We believe that after the creation of this organization and the recruitment of the appropriate personnel, within 1.5-2 years it will be able to issue the government a substantiated proposal regarding the choice of technology. It should be noted that all countries building new nuclear power units (UAE, Romania, Egypt, Turkey, Bangladesh, etc.) have taken this path," the minister emphasized.