ArmInfo. A meeting chaired by RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan was held to discuss strategic development directions for Armenia's energy sector, the RA government press service reported.
According to the source, the meeting focused on proposals for the construction of a new nuclear power unit, their technical and financial aspects, and safe operation.
Meeting participants presented options for potential cooperation with various partners and international organizations, covering financing models, technological solutions, and implementation timelines.
The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of continuing work on the presented areas, taking into account the proposals and comments.
Active discussions are underway in Armenia regarding the capacity and technology of the new unit. A closed joint-stock company, "Construction of a New Nuclear Power Unit," has been established to manage the construction project. According to the Armenian government's program, the peaceful development of nuclear energy is one of the keys to the sustainable development of Armenia's energy sector, as envisioned in the domestic energy development strategy until 2040. Specifically, it is planned to replace the capacity of the currently operating second power unit of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant at the site of the existing plant. The Armenian government has not ruled out the construction of a small modular reactor or reactors, if economically feasible. The legal form of the new organization and personnel selection must comply with IAEA standards, and funding must be provided from the Armenian state budget. Overall 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 aforementioned 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 the technology. Once the proposal is approved by the RA government, the company will be required to negotiate and prepare documents related to the construction, financing, ownership, and operation of a new nuclear power unit or units, following the adoption of the law on the construction of a new nuclear power unit. The company will be responsible for managing, organizing, and bearing responsibility for the construction of the new nuclear power unit, i.e., acting as the project executor. Depending on the stages of the aforementioned work, the CJSC must be staffed with the appropriate personnel and subsequently become the operator upon completion of the new unit. During the preparatory phase in 2024, approximately 200 million drams were allocated for the establishment and operation of the company, and 800 million drams in subsequent years. Taking into account the IAEA recommendations, the implementation of such a project requires a staff of 50- 60 highly qualified specialists from various fields (electric power, nuclear physics, environmental protection, education, urban planning, etc.).
The Armenian authorities prefer to work with a reference unit to eliminate all possible risks. In this regard, it should be noted that small modular reactor designs are only on paper. They are either in the design or licensing phase. Russia, meanwhile, is proposing its own design for a new power unit with a capacity of 1,000-1,200 MW, which has already been tested in many countries. However, the problem here is that the capacity of a Russian-designed unit may not fit into the country's power grid, whose installed capacity remains the same: 1,000 MW.
