Epress.am News from Armenia
Armenia is attempting to receive permission to extend its contract for Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant (also referred to as the “Armenian Nuclear Power Plant” or ANPP).
“The construction of the new block will begin most likely in 2012. If we take into account 6 years [for construction work], it will be completed by 2018,” said chair of the State Nuclear Safety Regulatory Committee Ashot Martirosyan in an interview with Azatutyun Radio.
The resources of the working Armenian nuclear power plant will be exhausted by January 5, 2016. In order to meet Armenia’s energy demands, the government decided to take steps toward building a new nuclear power plant.
In May 2009, RA Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Armen Movsissyan stated that the new power plant is set to be built in early 2011 with a completion date set at 2017. The new NPP will be of 1,200 MW, with a projected cost of $5–7.2 billion USD. The Armenian government has yet to name the sources from which it will secure funding for construction.
According to Martirosyan, international practice has shown that it’s possible to construct a new NPP in 7–8 years. Thus, the new MPP might be commissioned in 2018–20.
“For that reason, we think that we should be working on plans for the working unit to continue operating for 2–3 years after the projected resources [are said to have been exhausted; that is, 2016],” said Martirosyan.