Pashinyan: Armenia to make decision on nuclear power plant based on price and quality factors

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, after a meeting with Rosatom CEO Alexei Likhachev in Yerevan, said he would make a decision on the construction of a new nuclear power unit in the foreseeable future. The government continues to discuss proposals received from international partners.

Nikol Pashinyan stressed that the final decision will be exclusively economic in nature, taking into account the price, quality, safety, timing and guarantees.

Alexey Likhachev, according to the statement, presented details of possible mechanisms for the construction of a new nuclear power plant, as well as small and medium power units. The head of Rosatom said that he offered Armenia to build a station with the participation of other countries. Among possible partners, he listed France, South Korea and China.

The Metsamor nuclear power plant has been operating in Armenia since Soviet times. In 2021, Rosatom modernized the second power unit of the station, its service life was extended until 2036. Nikol Pashinyan discussed replacing the Armenian nuclear power plant with modular reactors with colleagues from the United States, but this technology has not yet been used. Press Secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov noted that in the field of nuclear energy, Russia “has greater competence and greater competitiveness” and is able “for less money to provide better quality.”.

Lucine Balasian