Armenpress News Agency , Armenia
 Friday


New EU agreement mentions de-commissioning first block, not nuclear
plant – official



YEREVAN, OCTOBER 27, ARMENPRESS. The new agreement with the European
Union mentions not the closure of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant,
but rather de-commissioning the first block of the plant, Vahram
Petrosyan, Executive Secretary of the Nuclear Energy Safety Council
told reporters at the 15th session of the council.

“This information [closure of NPP and subsequent substitution with
more powerful one], which you possess, isn’t true, because it’s not
about shutting down the nuclear plant, but it’s about de-commissioning
the plant’s first block [commissioned in 1976], meaning it will not be
commissioned again, it will not be revitalized. On the contrary, works
are being done to expand the operational limit of the plant’s second
block [commissioned in 1980], meaning the project time has expired”,
Petrosyan said, adding that an international experience exists, based
on which works are being done to prolong the operational period of the
second block.

According to him, it is planned to extend the period of operation of
the second block for ten years, although international experience
shows that the extension period for similar blocks in Russia, Ukraine,
Hungary and Finland is 30 years.

Petrosyan says the developments of solar and alternative energy
sources in important for Armenia, but at the moment the nuclear power
plant remains the only source of ensuring Armenia’s energy security.