Armenia in Talks with Korea and China for Construction of a New Nuclear Power Plant
Armenia is negotiating the construction of a new nuclear power plant not only with Russia and the United States but also with Korea and China. This was reported by the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure.
During the 2024 year-end press conference, Davit Khudatyan stated that various proposals are being reviewed for the construction of a new nuclear power plant in Armenia, considering its economic and financial components as well as the timeframe for its launch. The Minister added that while offers from Russian and American models are under consideration, proposals from other countries are also being evaluated, though no final decision has been made.
Khudatyan announced that the government will establish a specialized agency to oversee the project. This agency will conduct thorough evaluations of the proposals, decide on the final model of the nuclear power plant, and supervise specific aspects of the construction and technical specifications.
On August 1, 2024, the government decided to establish a closed joint-stock company named “Construction of a New Nuclear Power Unit” to manage the project. Former Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Gnel Sanosyan reported that the company would be created based on the guidelines of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), operate under the ministry’s jurisdiction, and be funded by the state budget.
The idea of modular nuclear power plants was initially proposed by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan a year ago during a government meeting.