During the Second World Armenian Summit, Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan announced a strategic decision to construct a small modular nuclear power plant (SMR) in the country.
This decision is based on the enhanced safety of such plants. According to experts, potential accidents at these facilities would be contained locally and would not pose a threat beyond a 500-meter radius.
Pashinyan noted that SMR technologies have already reached the practical stage in the U.S., France, South Korea, and Russia. Armenia is in talks with potential partners for this project. However, the prime minister acknowledged that while no operational SMRs exist yet, several are in various stages of construction globally.
Speaking on energy independence, Pashinyan stressed the importance of diversifying energy sources. He mentioned the active development of solar energy in Armenia, plans to explore battery technologies, and the study of opportunities for producing "green hydrogen."
Interestingly, the prime minister did not rule out the possibility of purchasing gas from Azerbaijan in the future, should peace be established in the region. He also suggested a scenario where a transit gas pipeline might pass through Armenia, heading toward Nakhchivan or Turkey.
