Nuclear "powder keg" of the South Caucasus will last another 5 years

The South Caucasus another 5 years will be "sitting on a powder keg." Yesterday the Armenian commission on regulation of public services decided to extend the license of CJSC "Armenian nuclear power plant" until June 10, 2019. In this part (funding) the Russian side is not yet confirmed.

The Russian media report that of the two units of the first stage (the second has not been started after the Chernobyl disaster) only one works, with an annual output of about 2.2 billion kWh of electricity.

Recall, the Armenian government in March this year approved a program of extending the life of units of the NPP to 2016. In September last year , Russian President Vladimir Putin said after talks with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan there is a possibility of extending the life of units of the NPP for 10 years - until 2026 with the involvement of the Russian side of $ 300 million.

ANPP license is issued for 30 years - until September 1, 2016. In 2010, both countries agreed to build a new nuclear power plant unit with VVER 1,060 MW capacity , but due to lack of funding, no promotion .

Said power plant commissioned in 1980 and stopped in March 1989 after the Spitak earthquake in December 1988. Two power stations are equipped with Russian VVER-440 reactors of the first generation. The first block is currently stopped. Second unit capacity of 407.5 MW generates an average of about 40% of all electricity produced in Armenia.

EU insists on the preservation of the station and it is ready to allocate 200 million euros (data talks Euratom - Armenian Ministry of Energy, 2007). The problem is the lack of alternative sources and determining the timing of closure of the station. The Armenian side believes that they should build a new nuclear power plant with an estimated value of $ 5 billion. - 17D-