Armenian NPP halted for planned repair and refueling
YEREVAN, September 18. / ARKA /. The Armenian Nuclear Power Plant (ANPP) in Metsamor was brought to a halt for a planned preventive repair and refueling, the press service of the ministry of energy and natural resources said.
It said the facility was disconnected from the national power grid on Friday overnight. The repair and refueling will take 46 days, the ministry said, adding that the nuclear power plant will be re-connected to the power grid on November 2.
The Metsamor plant located some 30 kilometers west of Yerevan, was built in the 1970s but was closed following a devastating earthquake in 1988 that killed some 25,000 people and devastated much of northern Armenia.
One of the plant’s two VVER 440-V230 light-water reactors was reactivated in 1995. The government wants to build a new facility that is supposed to operate at twice the capacity of the Soviet-constructed facility. Metsamor currently generates some 40 percent of Armenia's electricity. But the government has yet to attract funding for the project that was estimated as much as $5 billion.
Earlier this year the government decided to extend the service life of the facility until 2026. On May 5 Armenian MPs approved the signing of two agreements with Russia, both relating to the extension of the service life of the nuclear power plant. Under one of the agreement, Russia will provide Armenia with a credit of $270 million and under another one a $30 million grant. The funds will be provided for 15 years with a 5-year grace period and an interest rate of 3% per annum. -0-
It said the facility was disconnected from the national power grid on Friday overnight. The repair and refueling will take 46 days, the ministry said, adding that the nuclear power plant will be re-connected to the power grid on November 2.
The Metsamor plant located some 30 kilometers west of Yerevan, was built in the 1970s but was closed following a devastating earthquake in 1988 that killed some 25,000 people and devastated much of northern Armenia.
One of the plant’s two VVER 440-V230 light-water reactors was reactivated in 1995. The government wants to build a new facility that is supposed to operate at twice the capacity of the Soviet-constructed facility. Metsamor currently generates some 40 percent of Armenia's electricity. But the government has yet to attract funding for the project that was estimated as much as $5 billion.
Earlier this year the government decided to extend the service life of the facility until 2026. On May 5 Armenian MPs approved the signing of two agreements with Russia, both relating to the extension of the service life of the nuclear power plant. Under one of the agreement, Russia will provide Armenia with a credit of $270 million and under another one a $30 million grant. The funds will be provided for 15 years with a 5-year grace period and an interest rate of 3% per annum. -0-