Armenia to Replace Russian Nuclear Reactor with Small American Nuclear Power Plant

The Armenian government has initiated talks with the United States to replace its aging Soviet-era nuclear reactor near Metsamor with a small American-made counterpart.

Armenia's current nuclear power plant, featuring a VVER-440/270 reactor commissioned in 1980, was slated for decommissioning in 2026. However, a recent agreement between Yerevan and Moscow extended its operational lifespan until 2036. Despite this extension, Armenia has opted to explore alternative energy partnerships, notably with the United States.

In November 2022, Armenia signed a memorandum with Rosatom for the construction of a new nuclear power plant unit, initiating preliminary feasibility studies. Concurrently, reports have now surfaced of the United States exploring the deployment of small experimental modular nuclear reactors in Armenia.

Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia, Armen Grigoryan, disclosed during the "RA-Eastern Partnership-EU. Challenges and Opportunities" conference on July 3, 2024, that substantive negotiations are underway with the U.S. for the construction of a new nuclear power plant. This facility would eventually replace the existing Soviet-built reactor, bypassing any further proposals from Russia's Rosatom corporation.

“Discussions are underway with the U.S. regarding the legal basis, without which we cannot move forward. At the moment, I can say that the ball is in the U.S.'s court. We expect that the internal procedures in the U.S. will be completed, after which we will begin working," Grigoryan was quoted as saying by reports.