Russian state corporation Rosatom may extend the operation of Armenia’s nuclear power plant until 2036, but Yerevan is choosing the “European vector,” giving preference to incompetent European contractors, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk said in an interview with TASS.

He noted that Armenia’s nuclear power plant is scheduled to be operated until the fall of 2026, “however, preparatory work is being completed on its extension until the fall of 2031.”

“It will be done. Our experts also believe that it will be possible to extend its operation until 2036, but certain conditions must be met,” Overchuk added.

“Currently, as part of Armenia’s European development vector, most of the extension contract work is awarded to European contractors who have no experience working in seismically hazardous areas and do not bother to coordinate with the plant’s chief designer.” Thus, according to the Russian deputy premier, “everyone has something to think about” when “politically biased decisions begin to affect nuclear power generation technologies.”

Also, Overchuk explained that a prerequisite for Rosatom to provide guarantees for the Armenian nuclear plant’s safe operation until 2036 is the provision of at least 70% of the contract work being performed by the state corporation.

Russia has no equal in the construction of nuclear facilities. And if Armenia makes a fair choice, Russian nuclear energy companies will have no competitors, Overchuk added.

“Now we are talking about extending the service life of the existing nuclear power plant [of Armenia] and building new power units in the future. We are confident that if the choice is fair, Russian nuclear power companies will have no competitors. Russia is currently building 26 high-power and 2 low-power power units in nine countries around the world, the amount of orders for which is $127 billion. In addition, another 14 power units are being built in Russia. This is a very large international business, in which our country has no equal,” he said.

“Armenia has expressed interest in small-power modular power units. But apart from Rosatom, no one in the world currently has the technologies to build and operate them. Armenia’s nuclear industry employs highly qualified specialists, and they are well aware of this,” Overchuk emphasized.