Tuesday, August 22 2023 14:14

ArmInfo. The extension of operation of the Armenian NPP is estimated at $150mln, Gera Sevikyan,  Advisor to the Director General of the Armenian NPP, told ArmInfo. 

According to him, it is planned that about $45-50 million of this  amount will come from the Russian loan, and the rest will be  attracted from the state budget. The adviser to the general director  also noted that the plant is awaiting the decision of the RA  government to carry out the work, in accordance with which the  sources of financing will be finally determined. "It is very  important for us that the conditions for attracting credit resources  are acceptable, what will the Russian partners have to do, and what  will we do," Sevikyan said, adding at the same time that the first  phase of the project has almost already begun. So far, the plant is  carrying out a comprehensive inspection of the main equipment and  assemblies on its own within the framework of scheduled preventive  maintenance, however, there is no talk yet about concluding  agreements with suppliers of equipment and services.

Earlier, Armenia's Minister of Territorial Administration and  Infrastructures Gnel Sanosyan noted that in order to implement the  program in 2024-2025. A huge amount of work is planned to be carried  out at the Armenian NPP. According to him, every year the station  stops for scheduled preventive maintenance for a period of 50-70  days, and the next year will not be an exception. The ANPP has a  license to operate the station until 2026. Before that, large-scale  work will be carried out at the ANPP during 2024-2025, which will  extend the life of the ANPP by another 10 years - until 2036. In  parallel with the program for extending the life of the station,  active discussions are underway on the project for the construction  of a new nuclear power unit. This work will continue next year, the  minister noted.

He added that a difficult decision needs to be made on this issue,  ranging from financial to political and energy. "There are numerous  components. The problem is that the new blocks are being built taking  into account their operation for 60 years and the possibility of  prolonging this period for another 40 years. That is, the new blocks  are designed for 100 years, and we must make the right decision by  the end of 2023 so that the new block with its capacities fits into  the country's overall energy system," Sanosyan said.

Units of various capacities are currently being discussed in Armenia.  In order to make a final decision, an interdepartmental working group  was formed by a resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers. As noted by  Armenian experts, in the current situation it becomes necessary to  provide legal and administrative- organizational conditions for the  start of practical actions in the near future. In particular, we are  talking about the adoption of a new version of the law "On the  Construction of a New Nuclear Energy Facility", the creation of an  operating organization for nuclear facilities within the structure of  the RA government, which will be endowed with functions similar to  the Russian concern "Rosenergoatom" JSC with the appropriate status.  It is also necessary to create a "Directorate of the ANPP-2 under  construction", to form a list of local enterprises that have  sufficient potential to supply the equipment and materials necessary  for both projects, as well as to carry out design and survey,  construction and commissioning works, with the possibility of  concluding direct contracts (out of tenders) with the Directorate of  the ANPP-2 under construction.