ArmInfo. Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of Armenia David Khudatyan visited the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant (NPP).
As reported by the press service of the Ministry of Territorial Administration of Armenia, during the working meeting the parties discussed a number of issues, including the possibility of extending the service life of the second power unit of the NPP, as well as the program for the construction of a new nuclear power unit.
In addition, the minister, together with the Director General of the Armenian NPP Eduard Martirosyan, the Governor of Armavir Argishti Mekhakyan and the heads of local communities, inspected the station and got acquainted with the work on its re-equipment and modernization.
The second program for extending the service life of the second power unit of the NPP until 2036 is ongoing in Armenia. For these purposes, the RA government allocated $165 million, which was saved as a result of the implementation of the first program with a total cost of $300 million. It is expected that by 2036 a new nuclear power unit should be built in the country.
Earlier, the director of the station Movses Vardanyan reported that, according to the current situation, only the Russian side has submitted a proposal to build a new station. The initiative package consists of 11 volumes. The director of the ANPP emphasized that there is a general plan for the site of the new NPP, on which it will be possible to build two units with a capacity of 1200 MW each. At the same time, the cost of the first unit will be slightly higher than the second. Vardanyan noted that the problem of cooling water for the reactor can be solved by building 4 cooling towers 220 meters high for the first unit and two for the second. If the corresponding decision is made, almost the entire volume of building materials produced in the country will be needed.
The director of the ANPP also recalled the currently implemented program to extend the service life of power unit No. 2, after the implementation of which the station will be able to operate until 2036. Moreover, Vardanyan continued, a justification is being prepared for extending this period until 2041.
