VIDEO: Pashinyan Responds to Overchuk

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that Armenia can achieve energy independence in response to the assessments from the Russian side. During a government session, Pashinyan noted that Armenia is rich in energy resources.

“Energy resources, without management, appear above our heads in the morning and leave in the evening with the sun. We have so many resources that Armenia can, without exaggeration, be an energy-independent country. We can create a situation where we will not need to import electricity,” the Prime Minister said.

The Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure, Davit Khudatyan, addressed solar power plants, mentioning that a 15 kW battery or the energy produced by a solar plant is sufficient for a single household.

As part of the extension program for the operation period of the Metsamor nuclear power plant, it has been removed from operation for 5 months, and it is anticipated that during this time, the volume of energy produced by solar plants will be matched with the output of the nuclear power plant.

Earlier, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk stated that if Yerevan does not make a decision to build a new nuclear power plant by the end of 2026, it could face a national energy deficit. Overchuk also noted that the Russian side is not discussing the extension of the Metsamor nuclear power plant's operation until 2046.

“The design, construction, and operation cycle of a new nuclear power plant usually takes about 10 years. We understand that if a decision on the construction of a new plant is not made by the end of this year, a situation may arise in the foreseeable future where the Metsamor nuclear power plant will be closed, and the new plant will not yet be constructed. We are also convinced that only Russia possesses the necessary technologies for Armenia,” he stated.