The Metsamor NPP is located in the Ararat valley near the city of Metsamor, 28 kilometers west of Yerevan, Armenia. It was designed and engineering by Gidropress. The plant consists of two VVER-440 units and started producing electricity in December 1976. The fuel is produced by TVEL at the Machine-Building Plant in the city of Elektrostal, Moscow Region. The plant remains practically the only source that strengthens the energy independence of Armenia.
After the Spitak earthquake, in 1989 unit 1 was closed, but the Metsamor nuclear power plant produces about 40 percent of the electricity needs in Armenia. Unit 2 has already reached its design life and must be upgraded. In 2014, the government decided to carry out a modernization program and in 2015 signed a contract with Russia. The general contractor for this project is Rusatom Service. The minimum lifetime of the plant will be at least 10 years: the unit will be extended until 2026.
One of the most important stages in the modernization of the Metsamor NPP is to improve the performance of safety systems. According to the Ministry of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources of the Republic of Armenia, out of the total investment program in the amount of US $ 300 million (a preferential loan and a grant to carry out repair work the Russian Government allocated to the Russian Federation), US $ 170 million will be spent on improving safety.
NβN tip: Vladimir Bredov is Deputy Director for Project Management at Rusatom Service state company, and project manager for extending the service life of Metsamor NPP.
