Armenia, as a country dependent on nuclear energy production, firmly supports the consensus that nuclear energy is indispensable in our fight against climate change. This was stated by prime minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan at the first Summit on Nuclear Energy in Brussels on March 21.
Armenia, as Pashinyan noted, recognizes the inherent right of all States Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes without discrimination and political barriers. "Nuclear energy is the cornerstone of our strategy, ensuring both the energy security of our country and the mitigation of the consequences of climate change," said Pashinyan, according to the government press service.
According to him, nuclear energy plays an important role for Armenia and helps achieve "our nationally determined contribution under the Paris Agreement."
"For decades, the Metsamor NPP has been a key element of our energy system, providing stability and resilience to energy production. Currently, about 30% of electricity in our country is generated by nuclear energy," said the prime minister of Armenia, noting that the NPP, among other things, also symbolizes and strengthens Armenia's sovereignty.
At the same time, Pashinyan stated that having an NPP imposes great responsibility on the country.
"We strive to maintain the highest standards of nuclear safety and security in the operation of the Armenian NPP. This commitment underpins the extensive modernization and re-equipment of the station carried out in recent years, which has allowed the operation of the Armenian NPP to be extended until 2026," said the head of the Armenian government, noting that the country actively cooperates with the International Atomic Energy Agency and regularly conducts inspection missions.
"The reports clearly indicate that Armenia operates the NPP in accordance with IAEA safety standards. The absence of any incidents related to nuclear or radiation safety throughout the history of the operation of the Armenian NPP speaks to our unwavering dedication to this cause," explained Pashinyan.
The Armenian NPP is the only nuclear power plant in the region, built during the Soviet era on the territory of Armenia near the city of Metsamor. It consists of two power units with VVER-440 reactors. The installed thermal capacity of one unit is 1375 MW, the electric capacity is 440 MW.
The operation and maintenance of the NPP are handled by the company "Rosatom." The nuclear fuel for the NPP is uranium, also imported from Russia. In Armenia, there is currently a discussion about the option of building a new NPP not based on Russian, but on Western modular technologies. It is not yet known which option the Government of Armenia will choose.
