Armenia has no real alternative to the Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). So, the NPP operation will be continued, Areg Galstyan, Armenian Deputy Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, said during the NATO Parliamentary Assembly's Rose-Roth Seminar in Yerevan on June 20.
Galstyan said that Yerevan respects the European Union's opinion on the Armenian NPP, however, the country will keep running it due to the lack of any alternative. Moreover, new investments will be made. In particular, 130 mln USD has already been invested in the NPP safety.
He noted that notwithstanding the operation of the NPP, Armenia's dependency on the primary energy sources is very high - 35% of natural gas (40% - in case of shortage of water resources). "The dependency on oil products from Russia, Europe and Romania is also high," said the deputy minister.
Galstyan stressed that the energy sector of Armenia is developing due to private funding only and it is regulated by the country's legislature. He noted that in 2014 the Government created additional advantages for renewable energy. "The Government is trying to attract cheaper funding sources," he stressed, adding that in 2016 the Government is going to hold a tender and choose a private company that will implement projects in the solar energy field.
Armenia is going to build a new nuclear power unit with a capacity of 1,000 MW. The construction will be launched in 2018-2019. The total cost of the project is about 5 bln USD. Russia expressed willingness to cover part of the construction expenses, with the remaining funds to be raised from other countries. Traian Hristea, Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia, said that the EU sought to decommission the Armenian NPP, whereas Yuri Ushakov, Assistant to the Russian President, said that Russia would provide Armenia with a preferential 270 mln USD loan to prolong the lifespan of the Armenian NPP.
To note, the Armenian APP consists of two power units with the capacity of 400 megawatt each. But only one of these two power units is operating at present. The first unit was commissioned in 1976, the second one in 1980. At the beginning of 1989, the plant was decommissioned following the Spitak earthquake in December 1988. In early 1995 the second unit was re-launched. The ANPP's power output makes up nearly 45% of the total power generated in the republic. The lifetime of the unit expires in late 2016.
Armenian Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Yervand Zakharyan has previously told ArmInfo that in spring 2017 the operation of the Armenian NPP will be suspended for maintenance and prolongation of its lifespan till 2027. It is noteworthy that in its report on Armenia's progress in 2014, the EU reiterated that the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant should be decommissioned.