Russia and Armenia signs nuclear reactor agreement

Russia and Armenia signed an agreement Friday on the construction of a new reactor unit for the ex- Soviet republic’ s controversial Soviet- era Metzamor nuclear power station.

“The agreement provides for co-operation in the construction of a new nuclear power unit in Armenia ,” Armenian Energy Minister Armen Movsisian told AFP after a signing ceremony during a visit by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

“A joint venture will be created with [Russian state atomic agency] Rosatom which will provide the new block with equipment for the reactor,” he said.

Armenian lawmakers last year approved the construction of the new 1,060-megawatt reactor unit, expected to cost up to $5 billion, despite international concerns over the aging plant.

Armenia relies on the plant, 30 kilometers west of the capital Yerevan , for 40% of its electricity needs.

The European Union has pleaded with Armenia to shut down the plant, which is in an area prone to earthquakes, and in 2004 offered to provide EUR100 million in compensatory aid.

But Armenian officials say the country cannot afford to do without the plant, which also provides electricity for export to neighboring Iran .

Source: Energia

Armenia could export energy to Turkey

Armenia sees good prospects to export electric energy to its Western neighbor Turkey, the president of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan said today in his speech during the annual meeting of Nuclear Energy Security Council int he capital Yerevan.

It is amazing how Armenia transformed itself from a country where most of the population did not have electricity for 15-20 hours a day to an energy exporting country in just 15 years. Having no proven reserves of natural gas and oil this small South East European country invested heavily in renewable green energy production, using its rivers, wind, sun and the nuclear power plant which will shot down in the upcoming years as the Armenia is building a new one.

However, the country takes the Nuclear security very seriously. Two weeks ago Armenia was presented on a presidential level in the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington D.C. organized by the president Barack Obama.

Now Armenia looks for ways to expand and export its excess energy in four directions. The president stressed the importance of integrating its energy network with the networks of all of these directions and markets.

Through Georgia and Russia, the country develops on the Northern Direction. Through Iran and the natural gas pipeline production Armenia develops its network to South and Eastern directions to access the energy markets of the Middle East.

While Turkey has closed its border with Armenia in early 1990s because of its support for Azerbaijan, Armenia is in the middle of a slow process to normalize ties with its Western Europe and certain measures are being taken in this regard. Just few days ago the president of Turkey Mr. Abdullah Gul said his country is conducting a “silent diplomacy” with Armenia aimed at full normalization of relations.

“Opening of the closed border with Turkey, which prevents from direct access to European markets, would give the chance to develop economic ties, including in the sphere of energy. Despite the fact that as a result of the Turkish government’s inaction the normalization process is suspended, we see potential for electricity export to Turkey and to transit countries of Middle East”, Armenian President stated.

Exporting electricity to Turkey will become one of the major trade deals between Armenia and Turkey soon after the opening of the last closed border in Europe. Turkey’s Eastern provinces that border Armenia are struggling with poverty and have growing energy shortage with the development of the global economy. Armenia’s low cost energy will come to fill that gap.

Source: HULIQ