Expert: Closing Metsamor NPP without constructing a new one would be  disastrous for Armenia

ArmInfo. Constructing small modular power plants in Armenia as a replacement for the current Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant (ANPP) is impractical in terms of ensuring national security. This opinion was expressed by Artur Avetisyan, the Director of the research and analytical center "Energy  Initiative of Armenia" and a PhD associate professor, during the  online discussion <"Atomic"Dilemma of Armenia: Building a New NPP -  With and Without Russia>, organized on the expert platform of the  Analytical Center for Strategic Studies and Initiatives (ACSII).

"The closure of the Metsamor NPP without building a new one would be  a disaster for Armenia. Green energy does not offer dispatchability,  meaning it lacks guaranteed capacity. Solar energy is not recommended  for anyone. Moreover, Armenia remains in conflict with its neighbors,  and solar power plants are an easy target for the enemy. Therefore,   from national security standpoint, such stations are not advisable  for Armenia," the expert is sure. Harutyunyan noted that energy  experts initially faced a dilemma regarding the type of new NPP to be  built in Armenia - whether it would be Russian or from another  country. However, according to him, a new question has arisen in this  dilemma today - whether the NPP will be built at all, following the  statements of the Armenian Prime Minister indicating a preference for  small-capacity modular power plants of American design. The expert  was skeptical about this choice, stating his belief that only large  Hydroelectric Power Plants (HPPs) or NPPs can ensure Armenia's energy  security. In this regard, he recalled that the Metsamor NPP currently  supplies 30-40% of the country's total power generation, a  significant portion of which is exported.

At the same time, he pointed out that to date, only two modular power  plants have been built in the world, and both were in China and  Russia, with the Russian Federation having a floating plane. "There  are no other experiences of using such stations. I believe that  opting for small modules poses serious risks for Armenia," he noted.

Regarding the proposals from the Russian side to construct a 1200 MW  nuclear power plant, Harutyunyan admitted that this would be a  sizable station, and Armenia would not have sufficient space for such  a large amount of generation. However, according to him, the surplus  could be used to support the project aimed at connecting the power  grids of Georgia, Armenia, Russia and Iran.  Touching upon the  potential costs and longevity of constructing a nuclear power plant  versus a small- capacity modular power plant in Armenia, Harutyunyan  noted that the cost of building a nuclear power plant typically  ranges from 7 billion dollars. "The construction of a nuclear power  plant requires at least 10 years, and it is common for delays to  occur. As for modular power plants, they can be assembled in a  specific country within 2-3 years. But, the key consideration is not  just the cost and construction period, but rather what is most  beneficial for the country in question. Modular stations present many  risks for Armenia in terms of  national security. Here it is  important to understand what Armenia truly needs, and in this case it  is  nuclear generation, not modular generation," Harutyunyan  concluded.

Let us recall that earlier in Armenia there was a discussion about  the possibility of constructing several small modular nuclear  reactors with a capacity of 50-60 MW. Moreover, the possibility of  constructing them in several regions of the country was even  considered. However, one of the main challenges in this area is the  lack of skills among Armenian nuclear scientists in managing these  reactors. Earlier, the former adviser to the general director of the  Armenian NPP, Gera Sevikyan, told ArmInfo that a fundamental decision  had been made to construct a new unit in the country using the  Russian TOI reactor with a capacity of 1200 MW. But, as the former  Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of the  Republic of Armenia, Gnel Sanosyan, later noted, constructing a unit  of such capacity is fraught with problems, since the capacity of the  entire energy system of Armenia remains at  1200 MW. 

Let us recall that the Armenian NPP consists of two units with Soviet  (Russian) VVER reactors, with the first unit  put into operation in  1976, and the second in 1980. Following the Spitak earthquake in  March 1989, which killed 25 thousand people, the station ceased  operations.. In November 1995, amidst a severe energy crisis, the  second power unit of the station with a capacity of 407.5 MW was  reactivated. In March 2014, the Armenian government decided to  prolong the service life of the second power unit by 10 years,  extending it  until 2026.