The U.S. Conducts Research in Armenia on the Feasibility of Building a Small Modular Nuclear Power Plant

An American company is conducting a technical-economic study in Armenia regarding the feasibility of constructing a small modular nuclear power plant. This information was provided by the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of Armenia in response to a written inquiry from Sputnik Armenia.

The agency does not disclose the name of the American company. “One of the reputable American companies is conducting a technical-economic study commissioned by the U.S. government in collaboration with the Armenian side regarding small modular technologies offered by American manufacturers. The aim of the study is to identify which manufacturer’s technology best meets Armenia's needs, and what technology and power capacity would be most effective and economically advantageous for Armenia,” the ministry's response stated.

It was also noted that the research is expected to be completed by the spring of 2025 at the latest. On July 3, during the conference “Armenia-Eastern Partnership-EU: Challenges and Opportunities,” Secretary of the Security Council Armen Grigoryan announced that substantive discussions had commenced with the U.S. regarding the construction of a new nuclear power plant, and that the regulatory legal framework was being negotiated with the U.S.

Just one week after this announcement, on July 10, Samantha Power, head of the U.S. Agency for International Development, stated at a press conference in Yerevan that the U.S. supports the nuclear power plant construction project but could not provide a specific timeline for its implementation.

Considering that Armenia has received offers for nuclear power plants from several other countries, the Ministry was also asked which country's proposal and which type of reactor had been selected for construction.

The ministry informed that Armenia is negotiating with several countries, including the U.S., Russia, South Korea, China, and France. It is noteworthy that the Russian company “Rosatom Service” is currently working to extend the operational period of the only functioning second energy block of the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant by another 10 years (until 2036). During this time, it is planned to assess the changes in the properties of the reactor's metal. For this purpose, Rosatom Service has placed monitoring samples in the reactor vessel, and the data collected will undergo laboratory examination every year starting from 2025. If the results are positive, the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant, which was commissioned in 1979, may operate until 2036 at the latest. Meanwhile, Armenia must complete the construction of a new nuclear power plant to ensure its energy security is not compromised.