ArmInfo.Armenia must have a nuclear power plant. This was stated by Robert Kocharyan, the second president of the Republic of Armenia, at a press conference on October 7.
According to him, active discussions are currently underway regarding the construction of nuclear power plants with small modular reactors in the country. However, as of now, other than in Russia, there are no such operating units anywhere in the world. "There's a lot of talk about Canadian and Argentine developments, but, my dears, there are no such plants anywhere in the world. There is one small experimental plant in China," the second president of the Republic of Armenia noted, adding that all talk about the possibility of building such a plant in Armenia is just a bit of a sham.
Kocharyan recalled that when he was elected president of the Republic of Armenia, the issue of shutting down the operating second power unit of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant arose. The EBRD secured a loan for the construction of Unit 5 of the Hrazdan Nuclear Power Plant in exchange for the closure of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant. However, following difficult and protracted negotiations, the EBRD project was halted, Unit 5 was mothballed, and the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant was not closed.
As a reminder, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan previously stated that Armenia would decide on the design of the new unit within 1-2 years.
According to Pashinyan, discussions are currently underway with Russia, the United States, France, South Korea, and China. "Dialogue is underway with five partners. These discussions are practical in nature: our expert groups are visiting or should visit various countries to see and study. But, on the other hand, we must make a decision within the next five years and conclude an agreement, and this will not have a geopolitical or foreign policy context," he said. The prime minister emphasized that Armenia plans to build a new nuclear power plant using small modular reactor (SMR) technology. "We want to do this with the best possible price, safe technologies, and a quick return on investment," explained Nikol Pashinyan.
