Russia will manage Armenian nuclear power station for five more years

The Armenian Government and joint stock company Inter RAO EES signed on agreement on December 4 allowing the latter to continue managing the Armenian nuclear power station.

Inter RAO has run the power station since September 2003 and it has become much more efficient and productive during that time. Today however work needs to be carried out to create the right conditions in which to close the plant down. A new plant needs to be built, producing 1,000 megawatts of electro energy enough to satisfy the needs of the country and leave some for export to neighbouring countries.

The Armenian nuclear power station started functioning in 1976 and in 1980 its second block was switched on. After the earthquake which devastated Armenia exactly 20 years ago the Soviet leadership decided to close it down but in 1995, due to a tragic shortage of energy, the plant was activated again. It currently produces around 50% of the electricity consumed in Armenia.