If authorities continue to delay decision, Armenia will start buying electricity from Azerbaijan and Turkey — Artur Avetisyan

The issue of nuclear energy is being actively discussed in Armenia. There are two options on the agenda: Russian and American. The Armenian authorities have not yet made a clear choice, but from their statements, we can conclude that they are leaning towards the American side.

Alpha News talked to energy expert Artur Avetisyan on this topic.

“At the moment, the Armenian nuclear power plant is a unique phenomenon in the field of nuclear energy because it is the only nuclear power plant in the world that, after many years of inactivity, is back in operation and provides most of Armenia’s energy. It is to be decommissioned in 2036, and a new nuclear power plant is to be built. The current authorities prefer the American option. It is obvious and clear from their statements, but as of today there is not a single operating model reactor in the US,” Artur Avetisyan said.

The expert noted with regret that the Armenian authorities have closed the Ministry of Energy.

“The saddest thing is that it was the current authorities who closed the Ministry of Energy, which led to the outflow of high-class specialists. I don’t know if there is any group of specialists in Armenia who have information and can explain to the government that the American model is incompetent.

It seems to me that delaying a decision will lead to the fact that when the deadline for decommissioning of the NPP comes, Armenia will be left without energy and will be forced, as the government representatives say, to buy electricity from Azerbaijan and Turkey,” Artur Avetisyan said.