€12.9 Million Grant to Armenia for Nuclear Safety
The funding agreement for the “Strengthening Nuclear Safety, Radiation Protection, and Radioactive Waste Management Infrastructure in Armenia” was approved during the Government’s meeting on December 27. A total of €12.9 million in technical assistance is allocated for improving nuclear safety in Armenia.
The main objectives of the funding include the implementation of measures developed through the self-assessment stress test of the nuclear power plant, addressing the risk of hydrogen explosion in the hermetic zone in case of a severe accident, increasing the tightness of the hermetic zone, enhancing the capabilities of the Nuclear Safety Regulatory Committee, establishing a radiochemical reference laboratory, and developing independent production capacity for radioactive waste storage containers.
The implementation of this program within the framework of the funding agreement will allow Armenia to introduce an effective nuclear safety culture, create nuclear and radiation safety regulatory infrastructure, and a legal framework that meets EU requirements. It will also align with WENRA (Western European Nuclear Regulators’ Association) safety standards and reflect European best practices and international standards.
The agreement also foresees a program aimed at enhancing the capacities of Armenia’s nuclear regulatory body and technical support center, as well as preparing periodic safety reports for the second energy block of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant (ANPP). The agreement also includes the supply of necessary equipment for the environmental radiation laboratory.