2024-08-28 19:03:28
The delegation of Armenia headed by Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Hakob Vardanyan left for the Russian Federation on a working visit. The delegation included General Director of Armenian NPP Eduard Martirosyan, First Deputy General Director of “NAEP” CJSC, Director of Armenian NPP Movses Vardanyan.
As part of the visit, the members of the Armenian delegation visited the Kola nuclear power plant (Murmansk marz), met with the management of “HYDROPRES” OKB and held a number of bilateral meetings.
“The Armenian NPP is the guarantee of our security and the development of Armenia’s economy. Emphasizing the importance of the operation of the nuclear power plant for the country, we are already taking steps to further develop the sector and intend to extend the operation of the nuclear power plant at least until 2036. The main purpose of the visit to the Russian Federation is to get acquainted with the repeated attempt to extend the operation period of the Kola NPP, the project of which is currently being studied in detail in Armenia,” said RA Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Hakob Vardanyan.
Armenian specialists together with specialists of Kola station, “Rosenergoatom” concern and “Rusatom Service” JSC discussed the implementation of measures within the framework of the double extension of power unit No. 2 of ANPP.
Nikita Konstantinov, business development director of the “Rosenergoatom” concern (part of the state corporation “Rosatom” and the operator of all Russian NPPs), commented on the works aimed at the extension of the Armenian NPP. “This is a long-term project that has been going on for more than 5 years. This is a big, significant project for us, which once again shows that Rosenergoatom, being one of the largest nuclear power companies in the world, can perform the full scope of work to extend the life of any power unit of the Soviet or Russian design, as in Russia, using Kola The example of the NPP, as well as abroad. The employees of Kola NPP, taking into account the acquired experience, take an active part both in the execution of the works performed on site, and in providing expert assistance and advice to the subsidiaries of the Concern participating in the Armenian project.
The organization of modernization works at the Armenian NPP is carried out by “Rusatom Service” JSC, which is part of the power division of “Rosatom” state corporation. “During the cooperation, a large-scale project aimed at extending the operation period of the NPP was implemented in the amount of about 200 million US dollars, new equipment was delivered and installed in a short period of time. This year we will carry out the melting of the reactor body, after which its physical and mechanical properties will be restored and the Armenian NPP will be able to operate after 2026. In this regard, the Armenian partners were interested in the experience of Kola NPP specialists who had already performed such a complex technological operation. We hope that by the results of 2021, Armenia will get a more efficient nuclear power plant, and its safety will be brought closer to world standards,” said General Director of Rusatom Service JSC Yevgeny Salkov.
Currently, an Armenian-Russian working group is being created, which will include the technical specialists of the RA Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure, Armenian NPP, “Armatom” GRI CJSC, Scientific and Technical Center of Nuclear and Radiological Safety, Nuclear Safety Regulation Committee. On the Russian side, key Russian enterprises working towards the extension of NPP operation limits: – “Rusatom Service” JSC, “Atomenergoproject” JSC, OKB “Hydropress”, Kurchatov Anvna Institute. And after 2026, the concept of extending the period of operation of the Armenian NPP will be developed.
“In the Kola NPP, a huge number of projects to increase safety have been implemented. At the Armenian NPP, the final modernization works are currently being carried out to extend the plant until 2026. As of today, preliminary calculations have been made, according to which the plant can be operated until 2036, and the experience of doubling the extension of the Kola NPP will be very useful for Armenian nuclear scientists. Russian specialists have always helped in difficult situations, in the construction of the NPP and the operation of the 2nd power unit, and now in extending its operation period. Our common task is to increase the safety, reliability and efficiency of the plant to the maximum”, said Eduard Martirosyan, General Director of the Armenian NPP.