‘Hope we will soon sign the contract’ - Rusatom Service director on extension of operation of Armenian NPP Unit 2
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SOCHI, NOVEMBER 21, ARMENPRESS. Armenia’s Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure and Russia’s state corporation Rostaom continue working on the concept of double extension of the operation term of the second power unit of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant, Director General of Rusatom Service Evgeny Salkov said in response to the question of ARMENPRESS during a press briefing at the ATOMEXPO International Forum 2022 in Sochi.
He expressed hope that an agreement will be signed in early 2023 for the double lifetime extension of the NPP.
Evgeny Salkov commented also on the works done for modernizing the second power unit, stating that as a result of the complex work, which has been carried out by a big professional team, the second power unit can be operated until 2026.
As for the safety issue, he stated that large-scale works have been done, in particular, the control system in the reactor section, the reliable power supply system, and other systems have been upgraded, which are directly connected with safety control.
As for Armenia’s intention to extend the operation term of the second power until until 20236, Evgeny Salkov said Russia has a great experience in this regard. “There is a great experience in double extension in Russia. This means that this program can be implemented also in Armenia. Rosatom and the Armenian Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure have created a concept of double lifetime extension. I think we are working quite successfully within this working group as the sequences of actions which we must implement within the frames of that concept is already determined. We will estimate the volume and how much will be spent for the implementation of the program. I hope that already in the beginning of the next year, maybe in the end of this year, we will already reach the signing of the contract which relates to the implementation of the program on double lifetime extension of the Armenian NPP’s second power unit”, he said.
2036 is set as a target date for the extension, but Salkov said that the final decision must be made by the regulating authority based on the results of the works. Calculations will be made first of all how long the reactor could serve. Many things in the nuclear power plant are considered replacable. It is necessary to determine the replaceable resources. The Russian experience shows that there is sufficient resource.