Armenia shuts down Metsamor NPP for five-month upgrade

Armenia has temporarily disconnected the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant from the national energy grid as part of an extensive program to extend its operational lifespan, officials said.

According to Armenian media cited by Caliber.Az, Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure David Khudatyan, stated that the planned shutdown is expected to last approximately five months, making it the longest such maintenance and modernisation program carried out at the facility.

“Planned shutdown will last about five months. This is the longest program for extending the plant’s operational life. Every year, we transfer the nuclear power plant to such a program, disconnecting it from the unified energy system for a period ranging from one month to forty days. The five-month program is proceeding normally, and after its completion, the operational life of the nuclear power plant will be extended,” Khudatyan said.

He emphasised that the government intends to keep Metsamor in operation until a new nuclear facility is built.

“Our position is that we must keep the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant in the energy system until the construction of a new nuclear power plant is completed,” he added.

Khudatyan also confirmed that Armenia plans to develop small modular nuclear reactors but has not yet selected a specific model or partner country. Proposals have been received from Russia, the United States, China, South Korea and France, and Armenian specialists have visited these countries to assess their technologies.

He noted that the evolving nature of nuclear technology allows Armenia time to make a decision, thanks in part to the extension program at Metsamor. Once a model is chosen and a contractor is selected, the construction of a new plant is expected to become the largest infrastructure project in the country, involving investments worth several billion dollars.

By Tamilla Hasanova