ArmInfo.The Armenian authorities' intention to construct a new, 1,200 MW, nuclear power unit is erroneous and a direct threat to Armenia's energy security, Edvard Arzumanyan, former deputy minister of energy of Armenia, said in an interview with ArmInfo.
"It turns out that only NPP will be operating in Armenia, which is unacceptable," he said. Mr Arzumanyan doubts that Armenia's economy will double during the construction of the new power unit, as Minister of Territorial Administration Gnel Sanosyan stated.
"And the Ministry of Economy has not so far responded," Mr Arzumanyan said.
It is not clear where the energy produced by other energy-generating facilities with an estimated capacity of 1,000 MW by 2030 will be supplied.
The construction of a new power unit will require eight to ten years and $5bln to $6bln. So the funds will have to be attracted as loans with repayment commitments. Mr Arzumanyan considers unconvincing Minister Sanosyan's statements on cheap energy to be generated by the new power unit, as any investments require a return, which, in turn, will cause a rise in the prices for the NPP-generated electricity. The present price is AMD 12 per 1kwh, but after the new power unit is constructed the price will be raised 2-3-fold.
Mr Arzumanyan is critical of Minister Sanosyan's statements that the electric energy to be generated by the new power unit could be sold to the neighboring countries using the Iran-Armenia and Armenia-Georgian high-voltage lines.
"But the high-voltage lines, with all the substations, have to be constructed first. It is expected to be completed in 2025. However, the question of energy export remains open. In 2026, Iran, in addition to the currently operating power unit, will construct two other units at the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, which will enable that country to completely meet its energy demands," Mr Arzumanyan said. The same can be said of Turkey, which, with Russian experts' involvement, plans to put into operation the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant in 2026. The plant will have four power units with a capacity of 1,200 MW each. Moreover, South Korean companies are constructing the Sinop Nuclear Power Plant on Turkey's Black Sea coast. Georgia will not buy expensive electric energy from Armenia, as its own energy is 40% cheaper.
Considering the above, Mr Arzumanyan proposes considering the construction of 600MW nuclear power unit.
"Russia has no such power units, but China and Canada have. As to Mr Sanonyan's statements, they have nothing in common with Armenia's energy security. We have to form a new group of experts in nuclear energy," he said.
Mr Arzumanyan addressed a letter to Armenia's premier.
