Armenian NPP Modernization and Lifetime Extension Project Completed
On November 16, Alexey Likhachev, Director General of Rosatom State Corporation, visited the Armenian NPP on the occasion of Armenian NPP Power Unit No.2 modernization completion and lifetime extension until 2026. This is the key Armenian-Russian project in the nuclear power industry, aimed at extending lifetime of the Armenian NPP, enhancing its safety and efficiency.
Since the start of the plant modernization in 2015, a great amount of work was done to improve the NPP safety, inspect and replace its equipment. This made possible 15% increase of the Unit's power while keeping the original nuclear fuel consumption rate. One of the most important activities carried out at the NPP was reactor vessel annealing, which restored the metal's properties by 85%.
"I am proud of our participation in the project that helped make the Armenian nuclear power plant safer and more efficient. Together, as a team of professionals, including specialists of the Armenian NPP, repair companies, research institutes, Armenian and Russian engineering and design organizations, as well as manufacturers of NPP equipment, we did a tremendous amount of work replacing and modernizing the equipment. Due to the completed set of activities, Power Unit No. 2 of the Armenian NPP now meets the latest international requirements, and the Armenian NPP will continue supplying electricity to the citizens of Armenia," noted Director General of Rosatom State Corporation Alexey Likhachev.
According to research and inspections conducted by the specialists of Rosatom companies, the technical parameters of Armenian NPP Power Unit No. 2 allow operating the Unit for another 10 years.
"The Armenian NPP plays a decisive role for the national energy security and independence. It would be no exaggeration to highlight this large-scale project among the most important ones in Armenia," said Gnel Sanosyan, the Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of the Republic of Armenia. “We will not stop at this point but rather set new goals of extending the Armenian NPP lifetime for another 10 years after 2026 and further developing the industry by constructing a new nuclear power plant.”
Eduard Martirosyan, Director General of HAEK CJSC, Movses Vardanyan, First Deputy Director General – Director of the Armenian NPP, and Artur Grigoryan, the ANPP Chief Engineer represented Haykakan Atomayin Elektrakayan CJSC. The delegation of the Russian Federation included Evgeny Salkov, Director General of Rusatom Service JSC (the key contractor for the NPP modernization), Vladimir Bredov, Deputy Director General for Project Management, and Yuri Sviridenko, Head of the Integrated Projects Department. During the event, the Armenian NPP modernization results were summarized, the issues of extending its lifetime after 2026, as well as the prospects for the construction of a new plant were discussed.
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Rosatom is a global technology leader and the number one company of the global nuclear power industry operating in more than fifty countries. As one of the nuclear industry pioneers, Rosatom traditionally holds leading positions in the international nuclear market, including NPP construction, uranium mining and enrichment, nuclear fuel production and supply. Thanks to the unique competences acquired over 75 years, today the company is reaching out to new markets of promising innovative products. Hydrogen energy, energy storage, nuclear medicine, wind power, composites, logistics, environmental solutions – over a hundred new business areas in total determine Rosatom's current position among the leading tech giants.
The Armenian NPP is the only nuclear power plant in the South Caucasus that produces over a third of all electricity in Armenia. The key workstream of Russia and Armenia in nuclear power is modernization and lifetime extension of Armenian NPP Power Unit No. 2. Armenia has gained unique experience in operating the ANPP. Power Unit No. 2 was recommissioned after a 6.5-year lay-up. The plant is essential for the development of the Armenian power system and its social and economic life. Rusatom Service JSC acts as the General Contractor in the Armenian NPP project launched to modernize and extend lifetime of the plant, and improve its safety and efficiency.
