RUSSIA IS TO TAKE PART IN ENDER FOR NEW NPP CONSTRUCTION IN ARMENIA

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Feb 6 2008

YEREVAN, February 6. /ARKA/. Russia is to take part in the tender
for construction of a new nuclear power plant in Armenia, Russian
Rosatom General Director Sergey Kirienko said on Wednesday, as RIA
Novosti reports.

He finds Rosatom’s prospects for winning the tender high enough.

Armenia is considering the plan of a new 1000-megawatt nuclear power
plant construction.

About $1 billion is assessed to be spent for the plant construction.

Armenian Prime Minister Serge Sargsyan and his Russian counterpart
Victor Zubkov issued Wednesday a statement on joint efforts to enhance
Armenian Nuclear Power Plant’s reliability and security and to develop
atomic energy in the country.

Kirienko said that this statement envisages not only the plant
reliability enhancement, but also preparation for the new nuclear
power plant construction.

In 2003, Armenian Nuclear Power Plant handed over to Russian Inter
RAO UES for five-year trust management.

Kirienko said the present plant will function until 2016.

"That’s why everything should be prepared within two years (by 2010),
and the new plant construction will start in 2010 or early 2011",
he said.

He said that two energy blocks or one powerful block will be
constructed.

"Armenian Nuclear Power Plant has 440- to 500-megawatt block now.

Another 500-megawatt block is needed, or two blocks, but it would be
better to construct one 1000-megawatt block", Kirienko said.

He said that the new block will produce enough electric power for
local consumption and exportation.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress