The second power unit of the Armenian nuclear power plant in Metsamor shut down for 73 days for its annual repairs on Saturday, April 16.

ANPP employees, specialists from the Russian Federation, Croatia, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and other countries with extensive experience in repairing NPP systems and equipment are involved in the work.

The experts of the country's Nuclear Safety Regulatory Committee also play a special role in the process. The commissioning of the second unit of the ANPP is scheduled for June 28 this year.

Russia recently helped Armenia extend the service life of the country's only nuclear power plant to 2026.

Armenia has long been in discussions with Russia about replacing Metsamor, which comprises two Russian-built 376 reactors which started operating in 1976 and 1980, respectively. Both units were taken off line in 1988 due to safety concerns regarding seismic vulnerability. Unit 2 was restarted in 1995, and accounts for some 39% of total electricity generation in the country.