There are very few facilities in Armenia that have genuinely high strategic importance, and in this context the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant is of particular significance. Political scientist Hrant Mikayelyan made the remark.
The Nuclear Power Plant’s Operating Life
According to him, around ten years ago specialists examined the condition of the nuclear power plant and assessed the probability of an accident as very low — approximately one case in 50,000.
At the same time, he said a new assessment is now necessary because the plant continues to age. He stressed that over time the building’s concrete and metal structures are also subject to deterioration.
The Armenian Nuclear Power Plant was commissioned in 1976. The operating life of its functioning power unit has been extended until 2036, although, according to Mikayelyan, the possibility of continued operation should be regularly assessed through appropriate studies.
The Question of a New Nuclear Power Plant
According to Mikayelyan, discussions about the need to build a new nuclear power plant in Armenia began around two decades ago.
He noted that various options were considered at the time, including French and Russian projects.
The French proposal, according to the political scientist, was more expensive, which is why the main discussions continued around the Russian option.
In Mikayelyan’s assessment, the construction of a new nuclear power plant should be viewed not only as an energy project but also as a long-term strategic undertaking.
According to him, if the new nuclear power plant is built under a Russian design and with the participation of a Russian company, certain technological and other ties between Armenia and Russia will be preserved.
The Modular Nuclear Power Plant Proposal
Mikayelyan also addressed the idea proposed by Western countries of building a modular nuclear power plant in Armenia.
He argued that the West is not interested in having a Russian company build Armenia’s new nuclear power plant and that an American modular nuclear power plant is being discussed as an alternative.
At the same time, the political scientist questioned whether such technology could be practically applied in the short term.
“America does not have a ready-made modular nuclear power plant technology. They are developing it, working on it and so on, but it is still very, very far from becoming a reality,” he said.
According to Mikayelyan, there are also economic and technological problems.
He noted that there was a long interruption in the construction of new nuclear power plants in the United States, as a result of which some companies in the sector lost part of their experience.
“In other words, they did not build a single nuclear power plant for about 20 years, and therefore their ability to build a nuclear power plant in Armenia is more than questionable at this point. It is not only expensive; they also have a technological problem,” the political scientist said.
According to Mikayelyan, the United States is therefore proposing that Armenia abandon the Russian option and is offering an alternative that, in his view, does not yet have sufficient technological and economic foundations.
The political scientist said the significance of Armenia’s nuclear power plant should not be assessed only in terms of how much electricity it generates.
“Again, we should not assess the significance of the nuclear power plant from an energy perspective, but from a strategic perspective,” Mikayelyan concluded.