Armenian NPP has not submitted bid to prolong terms of its exploitation

 June 2, 2011 - 17:50 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Head of the OSART mission of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Gabor Vamos said the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) has technical capability to prolong the term of its exploitation.

“As for the NPP’s further exploitation, we know that the nuke has the license provided by the Armenian regulatory body for its exploitation until 2016,” Vamos told a press conference in Yerevan on June 2.

The expert noted that terms for exploitation of some nukes, including separate units, are prolonged in the world. “But as far as we know, there is not a similar official program for the Armenian NPP, thus, our review did not refer to the matter this time,” said Vamos.

He added that the Armenian regulatory body should adopt a relevant decision, if the NPP makes such an initiative.

According to some experts, the Armenian NPP can be exploited until 2016. At the same time, the Armenian Minister of Energy and Natural Resources stated that the NPP will operate, unless a new energy unit is constructed.

An international team of nuclear installation safety experts, led by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has reviewed the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant near Metsamor for its safety practices and has noted a series of good practices as well as recommendations to reinforce them.

The IAEA assembled an international team of experts at the request of the Government of the Republic of Armenia to conduct an Operational Safety Review (OSART) of the NPP.