YEREVAN, March 19. /TASS/. Russia expects Russian-Armenian cooperation in the nuclear energy sector to continue, Dmitry Litskay, Minister-Counselor of the Russian Embassy in Armenia, said at the "BRICS+ Cooperation in Nuclear Energy" conference in Yerevan.
As an example of excellent technical quality of operation he mentioned the operation of the Armenian nuclear power plant in the city of Metsamor (also known as the Metsamour NPP - TASS), which is serviced by the Russian nuclear corporation Rosatom.
"In this area, we very much hope that our Russian-Armenian cooperation in the nuclear energy sector will continue. We are discussing the possibility of constructing a new power unit in Armenia, and Rosatom is ready to continue to provide its Armenian partners with nuclear power generation at the highest level, using all modern technologies, while adhering to safety and environmental standards," he said.
The diplomat recalled that operation of the Metsamour NPP is currently being extended, and Rosatom, in turn, "will ensure that the plant operates in compliance with all the highest quality standards, including taking into account its location in a seismic zone."
The diplomat noted that the Armenian nuclear power plant is a stabilizer and a powerful energy pillar for Armenia's development, which, given its own nuclear generation, can plan for economic development and provide socioeconomic support for its plans.
Nuclear Energy in Armenia
On February 3, Armenian Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure David Khudatyan announced that the country had decided on the type of future nuclear power plant to replace the existing the Metsamour NPP. Yerevan is currently considering proposals from Russia, the United States, China, South Korea, and France.
On February 9, during US Vice President J.D. Vance's visit to Yerevan, an agreement was announced between Washington and Yerevan on civil nuclear energy, which will ultimately allow US companies to provide Armenia with approximately $9 billion in products and services in this field, including the supply of small modular reactors.
The operation of Armenia's existing Metsamor NPP is being extended thanks to a partnership between the Armenian government and the Russian company Rusatom Service. The corresponding decision was made in December 2023 following a meeting of the Armenian-Russian intergovernmental commission. The Armenian government allocated $65 million to implement a program to extend the life of the second power unit of the nuclear power plant until 2036.
On February 11, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that the operation of the Metsamor NPP could be extended until 2046.