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Armenia
As of 31 December 2022
Armenia has one nuclear power plant at Metsamor, 30 km west of the capital Yerevan, consisting of two VVER units. Unit 1 was connected to the grid in 1976, followed by unit 2 in 1980. Both units were taken offline in 1988 due to safety concerns following a major earthquake in the region earlier that year. Unit 2 was restarted in 1995 in the face of severe energy shortages.
Following modernization of the unit’s emergency cooling system, engine room, turbines and steam generators, as well as annealing of the pressure vessel, its operating lifetime was extended to 2026.
In March 2023, a further lifetime extension of ten years was announced – which would allow the unit to operate until 2036. Armenian prime minister Nikol Pashinyan met with Rosatom Director General Alexei Likhachev in May 2023 to discuss the lifetime extension work, which it was hoped would begin by the end of 2023. Construction of new Russian-designed nuclear power units in Armenia was also discussed during the meeting.
Figure Am2. Average capacity factor of reactors in Armenia
Figure Am3. Emissions avoidance through use of nuclear generation in Armenia
WNN Links
Armenia and Russia discuss Armenian 2 operating extension, and new nuclear: World Nuclear News - 4 May 2023
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