"Our Pride": Rosatom Head Calls Armenian NPP the Best Soviet Nuclear Project

Rosatom Head Alexey Likhachev called the Armenian NPP the best nuclear project of the Soviet Union, which continues to operate to this day. The statement was made on December 12 in Moscow at VDNH during a visit to the "Atom" museum by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and heads of official delegations participating in the International Conference on Cooperation in Science and Technology.

During the presentation, Likhachev recalled the unique history of the plant, built on the basis of earthquake-resistant VVER-440 reactors. The Armenian NPP survived the Spitak earthquake in 1988, after which it was shut down, but later the second power unit was restored and re-commissioned. "This is simply our pride. This is the best nuclear project of the Soviet Union, which still works," the head of Rosatom emphasized.

According to him, the service life of the existing unit has already been extended until 2026, and the Armenian authorities have launched the procedure for extending the plant's operation until 2036. Rosatom is ready to actively participate in this process, while offering partners a transition to fourth-generation nuclear energy - with fast reactors, a closed nuclear fuel cycle and a multiple reduction in the need for uranium. At the same time, Armenia continues to implement a program to modernize the nuclear power plant and prepare for the construction of a new power unit.