ArmInfo.Within the framework of the international forum "Russian Energy Week", Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Suren Papikyan met with Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Alexander Novak and Director General of Rosatom State Corporation Alexey Likhachev.
During the meeting with Novak, the sides discussed issues related to the implementation of gas and energy programs, as well as the prospects for deepening regional cooperation in this area. In particular, the parties touched upon the possibilities of implementing the North-South Electricity Corridor initiative (Armenia- Iran-Georgia-Russia).
During the meeting, Suren Papikyan and General Director of RosAtom State Corporation Alexey Likhachev touched upon the programs for extending the operating life of the existing power unit of the ANPP and issues of deepening cooperation in the field of nuclear energy. Issues related to the construction of a new nuclear power unit in Armenia were also discussed.
It should be reminded that in December 2015, Armenia, Georgia, Iran and Russia signed a quadripartite memorandum providing for an increase in the level of management of mutual flows of electricity, safety and reliability of energy systems. Within the framework of the memorandum, a number of events are planned aimed at creating the North-South electric power corridor, which will make it possible to work with the energy systems of the EAEU and the EU.
Earlier it was reported that the Armenian and Russian sides would soon start discussing the issue of extending the resource of the Armenian nuclear power plant until 2031. The concept for extending the life of the ANPP is already ready and suggests increasing the resource of the nuclear power plant after its modernization by 10 years. At the same time, the regulator will provide the ANPP with an appropriate license on the condition that in 2026 the necessary additional work will be carried out at the plant to further extend the life of the plant. The list of these works has already been prepared. At the same time, on April 7 this year, in Moscow, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan proposed to Russian President Vladimir Putin to consider the possibility of building a new nuclear power plant in Armenia.
