Armenia making efforts to extend life of nuclear power plant near Turkish border

​​​​​​​By Yavuz Aydin

ANKARA (AA) - Armenia is working to extend the operational life of the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant -- 16 kilometers (10 miles) from Türkiye -- until 2036 and construct a new energy block near the plant, local media reports said Friday.

Armenian media said Russia's state nuclear energy corporation, Rosatom, began work on extending the life of the plant by starting operations on the reactor in Unit 2, as per an agreement with Armenia.

The Armenian government wants to extend the operational life of the plant by 10 years, targeting usage until 2036.

In addition, the process of adding new power units to the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant has begun.

"After the existing nuclear plant's operational period ends, we will have at least a new power unit with the same capacity next to the existing plant, which will continue to operate like the current nuclear plant,” said Regional Administration and Infrastructure Minister Gnel Sanosyan.

- Discussions on new plant construction ongoing

Sputnik Armenia said Armenia is in talks with the US, Russia, South Korea, China and France on the construction of a new plant.

An unnamed US company has started a feasibility study for building a small modular nuclear power plant in Armenia.

The Regional Administration and Infrastructure Ministry's statement noted that under the direction of the US government, an American-based company has started working with relevant Armenian institutions on constructing a small modular nuclear plant tailored to Armenia's needs.

Representatives from the French nuclear reactor company Framatome also visited Armenia last week.

- Outdated plant near Turkish border

The plant that is 10 miles from the border with Türkiye has two reactors: one commissioned in 1976 and the other in 1980.

Both reactors were shut down in 1989 following the 1988 Spitak earthquake in Armenia, but the newly constructed Unit 2 was reopened in 1995 after renovations.

The operational life of the outdated reactor, which expired in 2005, was extended to 2026 as a result of renovations in August 2021.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced in 2023 that discussions on nuclear energy were being held with Russia, the US and third countries, and that an inter-institutional working group would be formed to explore the construction of a new nuclear reactor at the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant.

On Dec. 15, 2023, Armenia signed a $65 million agreement with Rosatom's subsidiary Rusatom Service for work to extend the life of the old plant until 2036.

*Writing by Esra Tekin in Istanbul