Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant

active

Armenian government transferred financial and management control of the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant (Metsamor) to the majority state-owned Russian Unified Energy System (UES) for a five-year period as a part of a deal reached between the Russian and Armenian governments to pay off Armenia’s US$40 million debt for the nuclear fuel supplied. Metsamor is located in Armavir Marz about 28 kilometers west of Yerevan and 16 kilometers from the Turkish border. The facility with a two VVER-440 reactors was commissioned in 1979 and it had capacity of 815 MW installed in two units and a design life of 30 years. The operation of the plant was halted in 1989 after a major earthquake, though it wasn't damaged. In 1995 the second unit of Metsamor was rehabilitated and re-commissioned. The unit had, however, operated at less than full (407.5 MW) capacity most of the time. The plant supplied almost one-third of Armenia’s electric power in 2003. In 2009, the contract was extended until 2013. For other power plants transferred to Russian UES see also: Sevan-Hrazdan cascade of hydro power stations (2003) Hrazdan thermal power plant (potential 2004)