Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk told TASS that if Yerevan does not decide to build a new nuclear power plant by the end of 2026, it may face a national energy deficit.
Overchuk noted that the Russian side is not discussing extending the Metsamor NPP’s operation until 2046.
“The design, construction, and operation cycle of a new nuclear power plant usually lasts about 10 years. We understand that if a decision is not made by the end of this year to construct a new plant, then, in the foreseeable future, the Metsamor NPP may be closed, and the new plant may not yet be built. We are also convinced that only Russia has the technologies that Armenia needs,” he noted.
According to him, this will have long-term negative consequences for Armenia, and possibly also for its neighbors.
“The country’s energy deficit will probably be covered by imports, which is always expensive for consumers. Renewable energy production will also be introduced, but this is not a solution either,” the Russian Deputy Prime Minister emphasized.
