November 9, 2005 - 13:50 AMT
Construction of New NPP to Cost Armenia $600-800 Million
The construction of a new nuclear power plant will cost Armenia $600-800 million, RA Energy Minister Armen Movsesyan told journalists yesterday. In his words, the terms of the construction works may be fixed from 5 to 7 years. The issue has been discussed with the representatives of the U.S. Department of Energy. The Armenian Minister noted the U.S. rates the construction of a new NPP as admissible. "We offered them to cooperate in the elaboration of the new nuclear bloc," Movsesyan noted. To remind, the Armenian NPP was put into operation in 1976. Presently the second bloc with a soviet reactor of the first generation is functioning. According to the assessments of the experts, the Armenian NPP can operate till 2018, however the European Union insists on its closing, RosBusiness Consulting reported.