Energy Publisher, TX
Feb 10 2008

Russia: Armenia inks deal for uranium enrichment

The agreement to join the enrichment center was signed by the prime
ministers of the two countries.

by World Nuclear News

Armenia has signed an agreement with Russia to join the international
uranium enrichment center to be set up in Siberia. The two countries
have also agreed to set up a joint venture for uranium exploration.

The agreement to join the enrichment center was signed by the prime
ministers of the two countries, Victor Zubkov and Serzh Sarkisyan,
during a visit by Zubkov to the Armenian capital Yerevan. Armenia now
joins Kazakhstan and Russia in the venture to set up a shared
enrichment centre at Russia’s existing Angarsk plant. Ukraine has
also expressed interest in signing up.

The international center is seen as a first step towards an
internationalized nuclear fuel cycle and possible nuclear fuel
‘bank’, which would contribute to non-proliferation aims by ensuring
security of supply of nuclear fuel without countries needing to
establish their own fuel production facilities.

The two countries also signed a memorandum to set up a 50:50
Russian-Armenian joint venture to explore for uranium and other
minerals in Armenia, with prospecting activities due to begin in
September 2008.

Speaking after the prime ministerial talks, Sergei Kiryenko, head of
Russian state nuclear energy corporation Rosatom also told reporters
that Russia would be the likely winners of a tender for the
construction of a new 1000 MWe nuclear power plant on the site of
Armenia’s existing Metsamor plant. Kiriyenko said the government of
Armenia would announce a tender for the construction of new nuclear
power plant, adding modestly: "We are going to take part in it and we
have quite good chances to win."

The Metsamor power station originally hosted two nuclear units. Both
were closed down after a severe earthquake in 1988 triggered concerns
about their seismic vulnerability. One unit is now undergoing
decommissioning but the other restarted operations in 1995 and is
earmarked for closure around 2016. Armenia relies on Metsamor for
over 40% of its electricity and in November 2007 the USA also
signalled its support for nuclear new build in the country, pledging
a reported $2 million towards planning studies.

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