Armenian NPP shuts down for repairs

Unit 2 of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant (ANPP), the only operating power generating unit of the plant, was halted on Saturday for annual preventive maintenance.

The repair work will last for 73 days, TASS reports with reference to the website of the NPP.

This year's plans include repairs of the reactor with partial core reloading, repair of main circulating pumps number 4 and 5, running repair of main circulating pumps 1 and 6, overhaul of steam generators 4 and 5 and medium repairs of turbine generators. Work will continue to upgrade the emergency core cooling and fire sprinkler systems. The work involves local employees as well as specialists from Russia, Croatia, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and other countries with extensive experience in repairing systems and equipment of nuclear power plants, says the report of ANPP. The commissioning of Unit 2 is scheduled for June 28, 2022.

It should be noted that the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant is located near Metsamor town about 30 km west of Yerevan.

In January 2022, Rosatom Director-General Alexey Likhachev and ANPP Director-General Eduard Mnatsakanyan signed a memorandum on cooperation in the construction of the new nuclear power units. It is proposed to start building new units in 2026 on the territory of the current nuclear power plant in Metsamor, taking into account the existing infrastructure.