Rosatom sees no technical obstacles to extending the operation period of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant until 2036, this Russian state corporation's director general Alexey Likhachev told reporters in Armenia.

According to him, Rosatom, together with Armenian specialists, has already carried out a significant amount of work to extend the plant’s lifetime.

Likhachev noted that the main part of the work related to the next phase of the extension has been completed, and 100 percent of the production tasks have been completed within the framework of the working group.

“Both I and our specialists have no doubt that the operation of the plant will be extended until 2036,” he stated.

At the same time, Likhachev emphasized that the final decision belongs to the operating organization, the nuclear plant itself, and the regulatory body on nuclear oversight.

In his words, Rosatom specialists have relevant experience in extending the operation of similar power units. Therefore, as per Likhachev, it is now necessary to complete the entire complex of necessary work.

At the same time, the Russian side is also discussing with Armenia a longer-term option—the possibility of extending the operation of the plant until 2046.

Likhachev said that the technical possibility of such an extension theoretically exists, and Rosatom is ready to organize the relevant work if the Armenian side makes such a decision. However, according to him, in this case it will be necessary to take into account not only technical possibility, but also economic feasibility.

Against this background, the building of a new power unit, according to him, is becoming one of the key directions for the further development of Armenia's nuclear energy.