Choice of nuclear power plant offer will be based on economic, not political c

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said that the issue of building a new nuclear power plant in Armenia is not a political matter but an economic one.

Pashinyan told reporters that the government is working with various international partners in this regard and will ultimately adopt the proposal that best serves Armenia’s interests.

He was asked to comment at a press briefing on the recently reported Russian offer.

According to a Russian Foreign Ministry official, Russia has proposed to Armenia a high-capacity nuclear power plant project that could meet the country’s energy needs for decades, if not a century.

The Armenian Prime Minister confirmed that an offer had been received from Russia but highlighted that other countries have also made similar offers.

“We have received such a proposal from Russia, but we have also received similar proposals from South Korea, France, and the United States. Our assessment is that, taking into account the pace of solar energy development, we will not need a 1,000 MW nuclear power plant because we have our own resource—solar energy. We are now focused on and want to have a modular nuclear power plant, as it would allow us to build additional power units in the future if necessary. And most importantly, a modular plant cannot lead to accidents like the one that occurred at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant; this is the most important issue for us. In the case of an accident at a modular plant, it is considered a local incident, and nearby settlements are not evacuated,” Pashinyan said.

According to the Prime Minister, Armenia is working on this issue with Russia, as well as with South Korea, the United States, France, and China.

Pashinyan added that Russia also has a modular nuclear plant project, but it is a floating nuclear power plant.

“We must study all proposals in terms of both technology and cost. In the matter of building a new nuclear power plant, we do not want to make a political choice because this is an economic project. We want to ensure the long-term viability and profitability of this program for Armenia. This is not a political choice, but a purely economic issue,” Pashinyan noted, emphasizing that Armenia will work with those partners from whom it receives the best offer.

At present, a project is underway in Armenia to extend the operational life of the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant by 10 years, until 2036, when the government plans to replace it with a modular nuclear power plant. Talks on the construction of the new plant are ongoing with the United States, France, Russia, China, and South Korea.