US considering building small modular nuclear reactors in Armenia

The United States (US) is considering building small modular nuclear reactors in Armenia and other Eurasian states, with the intention of strengthening their energy independence from Russia and China.

The US Department of State's coordinator for Europe, Eurasia and Central Asia support programmes, Maria Longhi, said this at a hearing of the US House of Representatives Foreign Relations Subcommittee, Caliber.Az reports, quoting Armenian media.

"In a number of countries, including Armenia, we are assessing the possibility of [deploying] small modular nuclear reactors built with US technology, which could lead to even greater energy independence from both Russia and China," Longhi said.

The official gave no other details.

On May 2, 2022, the United States and Armenia signed a Memorandum of Understanding Concerning Civil Nuclear Cooperation (NCMOU), enabling the sides to deepen strategic cooperation.

The US and Armenia maintain long-standing cooperation across the breadth of the relationship, including in the fields of security, energy, commerce, and nonproliferation.  

Nuclear Cooperation MOUs are diplomatic mechanisms that strengthen and expand strategic ties between the US and a partner country by providing a framework for cooperation and a mutually aligned approach to nonproliferation on civil nuclear issues and for engagement between experts from government, industry, national laboratories, and academic institutions.