ArmInfo. On September 28, the 5th meeting of the Joint Coordination Committee for the implementation of the second life extension program for Unit 2 of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant was held in Yerevan.
According to the press service of the RA Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure, the meeting was chaired by Narek Apitonyan, Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure, and Kirill Komarov, First Deputy Director General of the State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom and Director of Development and International Business, chaired the meeting on the Russian side.
During the meeting, the results of the work completed within the extension program were summarized, current and future tasks, technical solutions, and issues related to the further implementation of the program were discussed. The meeting was attended by the NPP management, as well as representatives of Armenian and Russian industry organizations participating in the program.
The parties attached great importance to the coordinated and consistent implementation of work aimed at ensuring the safe, reliable, and long-term operation of Unit 2 of the NPP.
At the end of the meeting, the parties confirmed their readiness to continue effective cooperation and joint work to successfully implement the measures envisaged by the program for the repeated extension of the life of Unit 2 of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant.
It should be noted that the program for extending the life of Unit 2 of the Armenian NPP is designed for the plant to operate until 2036, with the possibility of further discussions on an extension until 2046. The first stage of the extension program (until 2026) was carried out with financial support from Russia ($270 million in loans and a $30 million grant). The main focus of the work was on upgrading equipment and conducting a safety justification for Unit 2 until 2026. In December 2023, Armenian Nuclear Power Plant CJSC and Rosatom Service JSC signed a formal agreement to extend the plant's service life for another 10 years. Approximately $165 million from funds saved during the first phase of the project was allocated for this purpose. [The text appears to be incomplete.]
Armenian and NPP management are considering operating the power unit until 2041-2046, subject to all assessments and IAEA approval. Negotiations are also underway to build a new nuclear power plant.
