Armenia to choose new nuclear plant model on economic grounds, Pashinyan says

Armenia will select the model for its planned new nuclear power plant strictly on economic grounds, rather than political considerations, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said.

Speaking to journalists during a briefing in the Ajapnyak district of Yerevan, Pashinyan said the government is currently leaning towards a small modular reactor (SMR) design for the country’s future nuclear capacity, citing cost efficiency and changing energy demand, Caliber.Az reports via Armenian media.

According to Armenian media reports, the authorities are reviewing proposals from several international suppliers, including Russia, the United States, France, China and South Korea, all of which are offering technologies in the modular reactor segment.

Pashinyan noted that earlier discussions had focused on conventional nuclear units with capacities of around 600–1,000 megawatts, but said such large-scale projects are becoming less necessary given the rapid expansion of solar power in Armenia.

He added that modular reactors could be expanded incrementally, allowing additional units to be added over time as demand increases.

Addressing safety concerns, he argued that modern modular designs are less prone to severe incidents and said that even in a worst-case scenario, any potential impact would be geographically limited.

“These projects are still relatively new, and are being developed in different countries,” he said, referring in particular to Russia’s floating nuclear power concept, adding that Armenia would assess both technological and financial factors before making a final decision.

Armenia’s existing nuclear power plant is currently scheduled to operate until 2036. However, the government has previously indicated that its lifespan could be extended by up to 10 years, potentially pushing operations to 2046, to allow more time for the construction of a replacement facility.

By Aghakazim Guliyev