Pashinyan says small reactors will not meet Armenia’s needs — OilPrice
In Armenia, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that small modular reactors may not be sufficient to meet the country’s future electricity needs. According to OilPrice, on October 1 he said that a 1-megawatt reactor based on Russia’s VVER-1000 technology could be a better solution. A final decision on replacing the aging Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant is expected in the coming months.
Visit by Rosatom chief
Pashinyan’s statement came the day after the visit to Yerevan by Alexey Likhachev, head of Russia’s state corporation Rosatom. He claimed that due to the expected electricity shortage, Armenia needs a large reactor rather than small modular units.
According to the publication, before this, the Armenian government had been leaning toward replacing the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant with one or several U.S. small modular reactors. In February, during U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance’s visit to Armenia, the countries signed an agreement on cooperation in the nuclear sector.
Pressure from Moscow and course toward the EU
The Russian Federation, an aggressor state, is increasing pressure on Yerevan over Armenia’s desire to move closer to the European Union, OilPrice writes. On October 4, Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said that a change in Armenia’s foreign policy course could have negative consequences and lead to its transformation into a new Ukraine.
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As the publication notes, Russia maintains around 5,000 troops at a base near Gyumri and also controls Armenia’s energy and electric power systems. Moscow is the country’s main trading partner, while Yerevan seeks to reorient its economic ties from the Eurasian Economic Union toward the EU.
On October 7, European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos said that Armenia is actively moving toward the European Union and is the only country with which the EU is conducting talks on visa liberalization. On October 2, Pashinyan also pointed to the continued restrictions and administrative barriers to the export and transit of Armenian products within the EAEU.
TRIPP transit corridor
In OilPrice’s view, the possible awarding of a contract to Rosatom to build a new nuclear power plant could affect the implementation of the U.S.-backed TRIPP transit corridor, which is part of the Armenian-Azerbaijani peace process. Russia and Iran oppose the project. On October 1, Russian Security Council member Alexey Shevtsov claimed without evidence that TRIPP is allegedly aimed at creating a U.S. military presence in Armenia.
