By Lia Avagyan
Russia is ready to offer Armenia nuclear power plants with reactors of various capacities that feature enhanced safety and economic efficiency, Russian Ambassador to Armenia Sergey Kopyrkin declared during his visit to the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant on May 14.
“Rosatom is ready to offer Armenian colleagues nuclear power plants of Russian design with reactors of various capacities, distinguished by enhanced safety and economic efficiency,” the ambassador emphasized during his visit to the Metsamor facility.
Rosatom is Russia’s state atomic energy corporation that oversees all aspects of the country’s nuclear industry, from power generation and fuel production to plant construction both domestically and internationally. The corporation also manages the operation of the Armenian nuclear power plant through its subsidiary Rosatom Service JSC, which is currently working on extending the operating life of the station.
The ambassador’s working visit to the Metsamor facility aimed to familiarize himself with the progress of work being carried out by Rosatom Service JSC on extending the operating life of the station for a second time.
The visit comes as the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant prepares to suspend operations for two months starting tomorrow for scheduled maintenance. During this period, several key systems will be replaced, including the turbine unit’s automated control systems, generator and transformer protection systems, and the emergency shutdown systems, according to the facility’s deputy director general Movses Vardanyan.
During a meeting with ANPP General Director E.A. Martirosyan, Ambassador Kopyrkin emphasized the importance of maintaining traditions of mutual assistance, trust, and friendship that have developed between Russia and Armenia in the nuclear energy sector. He stressed that nuclear energy remains a truly strategic area of Russian-Armenian bilateral cooperation.
The Armenian Nuclear Power Plant in Metsamor is the only nuclear facility in the South Caucasus region. Commissioned in 1976, it was temporarily shut down following the devastating 1988 earthquake, with one of its energy blocks permanently closed afterward. In the mid-1990s, the second reactor was reactivated with a 400 MW capacity.
Currently, Metsamor generates approximately one-third of Armenia’s total electricity, making it a vital component of the country’s energy security infrastructure. The operating unit’s lifespan, initially extended until 2026, could potentially be further extended to 2036 under current agreements with Russian partners, with the possibility of a further three-year extension.
Ambassador Kopyrkin’s offer comes amid ongoing discussions about Armenia’s future nuclear energy strategy. Once the current plant is decommissioned, Armenia will need a new nuclear power facility to meet its energy needs. Last August, the government set up a state enterprise tasked with evaluating future options, which currently include either a single reactor with similar output or a group of small modular reactors. This decision will be made by the end of this year, according to the country’s Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure David Khudatyan.
Last September, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced a strategic decision to construct a small modular nuclear power plant in the country, signaling a potential shift toward Western nuclear technology.
This announcement followed the deepening of Armenian-American cooperation in the nuclear sector, formalized in January when Armenia and the U.S. signed a Charter on Strategic Partnership in Washington that includes collaboration in civil nuclear technology. Armenia has also begun negotiations to join the U.S. “123 Agreement,” a legal framework that would allow the country to import American civilian atomic technologies.
U.S. involvement in Armenia’s nuclear sector has intensified in recent weeks. On April 22, U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Kristina Kvien hosted executives from Pennsylvania-based nuclear giant Westinghouse, according to a short press release from the U.S. embassy that provided no further details. This meeting is seen as the latest sign that Washington is seeking a major role in Armenia’s efforts to build a new atomic power plant. Last year, CivilNet reported that Armenia had formally requested negotiations with the United States on a 123 Agreement that would pave the way for the United States to potentially build a new nuclear power plant in Armenia to replace the Metsamor facility.
Armenia is considering offers from multiple countries for the construction of the new plant. Its long-standing partner, Rosatom, has expressed interest in continuing cooperation. At the same time, the United States has also shown interest, prompting speculation that Armenia may be considering entrusting the construction of its next nuclear plant to American companies.
However, former Deputy Minister for Energy Hakob Vardanyan has expressed strong skepticism about the feasibility of building a modular nuclear power plant in Armenia. Speaking at a recent panel discussion in Yerevan, Vardanyan emphasized that such plants have not yet been built anywhere in the world.
“For the past six years, all modular reactor developers have been promising their technology would be ready the following year, yet none have delivered,” Vardanyan noted, adding that while the U.S.-based NuScale company has obtained regulatory approvals, even in the United States, planned modular plants have not been built due to high capital costs.
Vardanyan suggested that discussions around modular reactors might be more about foreign policy positioning and engagement with Western partners rather than representing a feasible energy solution. He argued that Armenia should consider nuclear power plants with a capacity of up to 600 MW as a more suitable option, advocating for a smaller, more flexible, and maneuverable power plant system.
Russia maintains significant involvement in Armenia’s energy sector beyond nuclear power. The Russian state corporation Gazprom owns Armenia’s gas distribution network, and Russian companies have substantial interests in the country’s hydroelectric infrastructure.
Energy security experts, including Astghine Pasoyan, director of the Energy Efficiency Foundation, have emphasized that decisions about Armenia’s nuclear future should not be based solely on technical capabilities or political considerations but must also account for economic feasibility and Armenia’s broader energy security needs.
The experts agree that Armenia’s energy system cannot support a large 1,000-1,200 MW nuclear power plant, as such a facility would require an estimated $9 billion investment and would only be viable if Armenia could export electricity regionally. Additionally, such a large plant would potentially hinder the development of alternative energy sources, including the country’s growing solar power sector.
As Armenia debates the future of its nuclear energy sector, the country faces complex choices between Russian and Western technologies, between proven conventional designs and newer modular concepts, and between maintaining its existing infrastructure or investing in entirely new systems – all while considering its broader geopolitical relationships and energy security needs.
Also read: Armenia unlikely to build modular nuclear power plant, says former official
The post Russia ready to offer various nuclear reactor designs to Armenia, says ambassador appeared first on CIVILNET.