IAEA says ‘no plans’ to close Armenian nuclear power plant

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) does not plan to close the Armenian nuclear power plant, despite Turkiye’s latest allegations that the facility is unsafe, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi told Armenpress.

“No, absolutely not. If there is an issue with the plant we will address it immediately with the government, and we would be the first to say that there is a problem and that some action would need to be taken. But at the moment, as I say, we are confident that operations can continue,” Grossi said.

He also noted that the Armenian NPP is following the safety recommendations and guidance and is closely cooperating with the IAEA. Grossi expressed confidence that Armenia is doing serious work in terms of nuclear power plant safety.

Metsamor NPP is the only nuclear power plant in the South Caucasus region. It is located about 30 kilometers west of Yerevan, near the city of Metsamor. Currently, only the second unit of the NPP is functioning, providing about 30-35% of the annual electricity generation in the country.

Metsamor NPP was put into operation in 1979 and stopped in 1989 after the Spitak earthquake. In 1995, the nuclear power plant was reactivated with the participation of Russian experts, after which commercial operation of the second power unit of the station resumed.

In November 2021, work on a large-scale modernization of the power unit was completed, which made it possible to extend its service life until 2026.