On March 12, 2026, an expert discussion titled “Challenges and Prospects of Nuclear Energy in Armenia” was held at the press club of “EcoLur” Informational NGO.
During the discussion, Vahram Petrosyan, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor, Director General of “Hayatom” Research Institute, and Chairman of Board of Directors of “Armenian NPP” CJSC, presented a report on the state of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant (ANPP).
Possible Extension of ANPP Operation
“After 2036, in my personal opinion, the nuclear power plant can be operated for another 5 years. The plant must operate in base load mode; its capacity should not be increased or decreased. Today, we receive instructions from the operator to reduce output by 30% in the morning and increase it by 30% in the evening. This is unacceptable. There is a limit on how many times capacity can be adjusted, and exceeding it may damage the reactor’s fuel elements,” said Vahram Petrosyan.
The design lifetime of the ANPP (Unit 2) was 30 years, which expired in 2016. The Government of Armenia decided to extend its operation.
For this purpose, large-scale modernization and refurbishment works were carried out at the plant, financed by approximately USD 270 million in loans from Russia and an additional USD 30 million grant.
The lifetime of Unit 2 was extended by 10 years until 2026. Work is currently underway to extend it by another 10 years, until 2036.
A revised Safety Justification Report is expected to be submitted to the regulatory authority by the end of March.
From April 1, 2026, the plant will be shut down for 5 months for scheduled maintenance.
“During these 5 months, all necessary modifications must be completed, including major work related to the DU 200 mm pipeline. The goal is to modernize the primary circuit so that, in case of rupture, leakage can be compensated. As for the DU 500 mm pipelines, that issue is not yet under consideration. We are moving toward extending the operation of Unit 2 until 2036. We are also considering another metal annealing process in 2031. The current license is valid until 2031, and we aim to obtain a license from the regulator until 2041.
Based on my 49 years of experience and professional background in nuclear power engineering, I believe that operation could be extended for another 5 years beyond 2036, but not beyond 2041,” said Vahram Petrosyan.
Risks of Load Reduction and Increase
“A nuclear power plant must operate in base load mode; its capacity should not be frequently increased or decreased. There is a concept known as reactor poisoning. Even reducing power by 10% or 20% can lead to a degree of poisoning. A leading expert in reactor kinetics once noted that operators must always be aware that during transient modes, the reactor may enter non-regulated conditions,” said Vahram Petrosyan.
What Model of Nuclear Power Unit Is Preferable for Armenia?
“Our country’s energy security will be ensured if we have a new nuclear power unit. The question is: which one?”
Regarding small modular reactors (SMRs), Petrosyan noted that they are currently at the design and licensing stages, and none are yet fully operational.
“After construction, even within the first 2-3 years of operation, various issues typically arise that require resolution. It would be preferable for us to wait until sufficient operational experience is accumulated before making a decision on their selection and construction.”
He also noted that 600 MW water-cooled reactor units planned in Russian Federation are of particular interest, as this capacity level is compatible and suitable for Armenia’s electricity grid.
April 14, 2026 at 11:14