Rosatom State Corporation head Alexey Likhachev has described Armenia’s nuclear power plant (ANPP) as “the best nuclear project of the Soviet Union,” referencing its survival during the devastating 1988 Spitak earthquake.

He made the remarks during a visit to the Atom Мuseum at the VDNKh exhibition center in Moscow, where leaders of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) governments, including Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, also toured the site.

Likhachev recalled the plant’s history, particularly the use of earthquake-resistant VVER-440 reactors. The facility remained structurally intact during the earthquake but was shut down afterward. Later, the second power unit was restored and reactivated.

“This is simply our pride. It is the Soviet Union’s best nuclear project, and it’s still operating,” Likhachev stated.

He noted that the current operational license of the ANPP's working unit has been extended to 2026. However, Armenia’s government has already decided to begin the process of extending its operation to 2036.

“Every quarter, I personally remind Armenia’s prime minister that we are ready to start; we’re prepared to handle everything,” he added.

Likhachev also spoke about the future of nuclear energy, saying Rosatom is steering partners toward fourth-generation technologies, including water-based innovations, fast neutron reactors, and closed nuclear fuel cycles.

“This represents a completely new level of safety. It’s waste-free production that cuts uranium demand by a hundredfold. With existing deposits, we’ll be secure for millennia,” he emphasized.

In 2023, Rosatom Service and the Armenian NPP signed an agreement to extend the plant’s operation until 2036. The plant currently supplies around one-third of Armenia’s electricity needs. Meanwhile, the Armenian government plans to construct a new nuclear plant before the existing one is decommissioned.