Armenia nuclear plant to resume work on November 26

PanARMENIAN.Net - Metsamor nuclear power plant will resume operation starting from November 26, CEO Movses Vardanyan told reporters Wednesday, October 12.

The plant in the Armenian province of Armavir halted operation for an annual maintenance and refueling on September 20.

Addressing the 17th session of the CIS Commission on the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, Vardanyan said a full inspection of the reactive installation, including the core, the upper block, steam generators and their pipes is envisaged.

It is planned that work on extending the life of Metsamor NPP for another 10 years until 2026 will begin in the spring of 2017, Sputnik cited Vardanyan as saying.

The Armenian Nuclear Power Plant is located some 30 kilometers west of Yerevan. It was built in the 1970s but was closed following a devastating earthquake in 1988. One of its two VVER 440-V230 light-water reactors was reactivated in 1995.

Armenian authorities said they will build a new nuclear power plant to replace the aging facility. The new plant is supposed to boast twice the capacity of the Soviet-constructed facility. The plant currently generates some 35 percent of Armenia's electricity.

In March 2014, Armenian government decided to extend the plant’s service life because of delay in building a new unit. The service life extension has become possible due to a $270 million Russian loan and $30 million grant.