Armenia will continue operating its nuclear power plant until 2036, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced at the World Atomic Week forum in Moscow, citing the move as essential for the country’s energy security and transition to new nuclear technologies.
“The Government of Armenia has affirmed its policy to preserve the nuclear power plant as a crucial part of the country’s energy balance. Currently, nearly 30 percent of Armenia’s electricity is generated by the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant,” Pashinyan said.
He noted that the decision to modernize and extend the plant’s operational life was made possible through cooperation with Russia’s Rosatom State Corporation and other international partners. The extension, he added, would serve as the foundation for eventually transitioning to a new reactor unit—Armenia’s long-term objective.
Pashinyan emphasized that the strategic significance of nuclear energy places a serious responsibility on the government for both current and future generations. He reaffirmed that the safe operation of the plant is a strategic priority for Armenia, and that every effort is being made to uphold the highest safety standards throughout its operation.
“We regularly conduct verification and expert assessment missions, the reports of which clearly show that Armenia operates its nuclear power plant in accordance with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safety standards. The absence of nuclear or radiation incidents is evidence of this,” he said, adding that extensive modernization efforts in recent years had already extended the plant’s operation until 2026.
The modernization and life extension project, Pashinyan noted, is not merely a technical undertaking, but the product of a trusted and productive partnership between Armenia, Rosatom, and other international partners.
Looking ahead, the prime minister said Armenia is also exploring the use of small modular nuclear reactors as part of its long-term energy strategy. He added that the government intends to deepen cooperation with the IAEA and partner countries to determine the optimal approach for replacing the existing reactor, taking into account safety, cost-effectiveness, and the specific characteristics of Armenia’s energy system.
The Armenian Nuclear Power Plant, located near the town of Metsamor approximately 30 kilometers west of Yerevan, is the only facility of its kind in the South Caucasus. It supplies up to 40 percent of Armenia’s electricity. While the current reactor’s operation has been extended to 2026, work is already underway to extend it for an additional decade.
Planning is also in progress for the construction of a new nuclear power plant, expected to take 8 to 10 years. Various design options are under consideration, drawing from the experience of international partners including Russia, the United States, and South Korea. A preliminary feasibility study for a new 1,200 MW unit, developed by Rosatom, is currently under review by the Armenian side.
Rosatom First Deputy Director General Kirill Komarov, speaking to the ARKA news agency, said the corporation could offer Armenia nuclear reactors with capacities ranging from 50 to 1,000 MW. He noted that reactors could also be assembled in modular form using 50 MW units.
During his visit to Moscow, Pashinyan also held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin, where the two leaders reaffirmed nuclear energy as a key area of bilateral cooperation and discussed trade relations.
