ArmInfo. Russian small-capacity nuclear power plants are unparalleled in the world, said Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"New generation facilities must appear in the Arctic zone, including small nuclear power plants, which have no analogues in the world," Putin said at the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum.
The Russian President also noted that Russia is the only country in the world developing small-capacity nuclear power. "The only country in the world, in my opinion, is still Russia, which not only talks about the need and possibility of developing small-scale nuclear power, but is actually doing it. Nobody else is doing it," the head of state emphasized.
Putin also noted that the first small-capacity floating power plant was built in Russia. According to the Russian leader, other similar facilities are currently being developed in Russia.
As a reminder, Armenian authorities have decided to build a nuclear power plant with a small modular reactor. Earlier, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan noted that a final decision on the type of nuclear power plant to be built in Armenia and its manufacturer should be made by 2027. He stated that the current nuclear power plant will have its lifespan exhausted by 2036. The prime minister recalled that Armenia had committed to closing the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant even before the 2018 revolution. However, as the head of government noted, technological advances could allow the plant's second power unit to operate beyond 2036. The prime minister emphasized that Armenia is actively moving toward energy independence. This has become a reality relatively recently, thanks to the development of renewable energy, particularly solar energy. "The Republic of Armenia has enormous solar resources, and we are developing them. We currently have solar power plants with a capacity of 1,213 megawatts, compared to 16 megawatts in 2018. Now, to ensure further development, we will begin building energy storage systems in the Republic of Armenia so that they will collect solar energy generated during the day and provide us with the necessary electricity at night," he said. The Prime Minister noted that by 2031, the plan is to have storage stations with a capacity of at least 800 megawatts, which is approximately double the installed capacity of existing nuclear power plants.
The Prime Minister also stated that there is potential to extend the service life of Unit 2 of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant for another 10 years.
after 2036. He noted that the station is currently in the process of extending the life of the second power unit until 2036. Taking into account another 10 years, it will be possible to operate the unit until 2046. During this period, a decision must be made on the new station. At the same time, models of nuclear reactors offered by Russia, the USA, France, China and South Korea are being studied. "We are conducting transparent negotiations with all partners. Our decision, which will be of a strategic nature, must be based on the most advantageous offer that meets the interests of the republic," the head of government said. He pointed out the importance of conducting research on the international nuclear technology market. Pashinyan recalled that currently the tariff for electricity generated at the ANPP is the lowest in the country. However, as the prime minister noted, today the world's fuel reserves for nuclear power plants will last for 70 years. For this reason, it is very important to know how much 1 kWh of electricity will cost in 40 years. This raises the question of economic feasibility and the potential for recouping investment. True, as the Prime Minister noted, there is already experience with re-enriching used fuel. In any case, Pashinyan emphasized, the issue should be about cost.
It should be noted that since May of this year, the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant has been shut down for five months of scheduled maintenance. During this period, the main work will be carried out under the second life extension program for Unit 2 of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant. $165 million saved from the first extension program will be used to address this issue. Previously, the country's authorities announced the adoption of a conceptual decision to build a nuclear power plant with small modular reactors.
