Armenia seeks building new nuclear power plant
- 4 July, 08:34
Armenia is negotiating with the US over the construction of a new nuclear power plant in its territory, head of Armenia’s Security Council Armen Grigoryan has said.
Addressing the Armenian-Eastern Partnership-EU meeting on Wednesday, Armen Grigoryan said that Yerevan has entered a very important stage over the construction of a nuclear power plant. “We are now discussing with the US the issue of regulating the legal treaty field, without which we cannot move forward. At this moment, I can say that the ball is in the US's court. We expect the internal processes of the United States to be carried out and then we will start working," said Grigoryan.
The negotiations with the US are part of Armenia’s efforts to diversify its energy production and resources. In the past, Armenia has relied on Russia to replace its ageing Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant - the only nuclear power plant in the Caucasus. Relevant talks started with Russia in October 2021. In December 2023, Armenia contacted the Russian state nuclear agency, Rosatom, to extend the life of the Metsamor until 2036, with talks ‘ongoing’ about building a new reactor at the ageing facility. However, in April this year, a joint statement from the EU-US-Armenia summit revealed that Washington would “support energy diversification and explore the feasibility of new civil nuclear power options that prioritize the highest nuclear security, safety, and nonproliferation standards” in Armenia.
The US and Armenia had previously inked a memorandum of understanding on Civil Nuclear Cooperation ‘to deepen’ strategic cooperation in 2022.
