Construction of new NPP remains on the agenda, says PM

Armenia will not quit the project of the construction of new nuclear power plant (NPP), Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan has said.

Speaking at the parliament on Wednesday, Sargsyan said the project will be implemented but the disaster in Japan will be taken into consideration.

According to him, the new NPP to be constructed in Armenia will have higher security standards than the ones that were affected by the recent quake in Japan.

Therefore, the risks have been minimized, Sargsyan added.

“That means we will continue our project of constructing a new energy bloc [of a NPP],” said Sargsyan. “Naturally, we will pay significant attention to operational security of the energy bloc, taking into account all the possible risks.”

Further, Sargsyan said the disasters in Japan allowed estimating the reliability of nuclear power plants. But in Armenia, the focus must be not only the safety against quakes but also on related risks.

Armenia will hold a donor forum at the end of April to raise funds for the construction of a new NPP with 1060MW power capability and 60 years lifespan.

According to preliminary estimates, the construction of the new NPP will require around $5billion in investments.

Russia has said it may sponsor 20% of the construction.

The US has also said it is interested in the construction of the new NPP.