Armenia plans to select a model for its new nuclear power plant in the first half of 2027. A Russian proposal remains among the options under consideration, said Davit Khudatyan, Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure, in an interview with Public Television of Armenia.
According to him, Yerevan is evaluating projects from Russia, the US, China, South Korea, and France. The final choice of supplier country will depend on the specific model and reactor type preferred by the Armenian authorities.
"We are discussing the Russian proposal, though we still need to review it internally within our team," Khudatyan said.
Initially, Armenia had focused on building a small modular reactor (SMR) plant. In February, the minister stated that the government had already decided on the modular type for the future station but had yet to select a specific model or supplier.
Now, authorities are also considering higher-capacity options—up to power units of approximately 1,000 MW. Khudatyan explained that the decision to reconsider the initial approach was driven by rising electricity consumption and the emergence of new large-scale consumers, including projects in the field of artificial intelligence.
The issue of the future plant's capacity was discussed, among other things, during a meeting between Khudatyan and Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev. The Russian corporation had previously presented Armenia with a preliminary feasibility study for a new 1,200 MW power unit and had also expressed readiness to offer projects with varying capacities.
Project cost will be a key selection criterion. Khudatyan noted that proposals from different countries differ by billions of dollars, and construction costs will ultimately impact consumer tariffs. "The cost of the nuclear power plant will be factored into the tariff and will significantly impact it," the minister added.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had previously stated that no final decision regarding the technology for the new nuclear power plant has been reached yet, though the Russian option has not been ruled out.
The existing Armenian Nuclear Power Plant in Metsamor is undergoing a service life extension program; upon its successful completion, the plant will be able to operate until at least 2036.
