Arminfo. A seminar dedicated to the issue of preserving and transferring critical knowledge in the nuclear industry opened in Yerevan on September 9. The event was organized by the International Union of Nuclear Energy and Industry Veterans (IUNNEIV) with the support of Rosatom.
In his speech, Armenian NPP Director General Eduard Martirosyan noted that certain work at the Armenian NPP is being carried out with 2041 in mind. At present, he said, the possibility of extending the plant’s service life until 2036—and, if possible, beyond—is being studied. Nevertheless, the current license for the Armenian NPP is valid until 2031. Martirosyan recalled that the Armenian NPP unit generates 30–40% of all electricity in Armenia. “This is important for us not only from the perspective of energy security, but also from a social perspective, since it generates inexpensive electricity for the end consumer,” he noted.
Speaking at the seminar, Vitaly Lebedenko, Deputy Chairman of the IUNNEIV, noted that the organization’s main task is to promote the safe development of nuclear energy and nuclear technologies in the republics that joined the union. At present, it already includes 20 foreign veterans’ organizations; in recent years, all the Central Asian republics, as well as Mongolia and Turkey, have joined. According to Lebedenko, one of the tools for partially addressing the problem in Armenia is mentoring, particularly given the role of nuclear energy in the country’s energy balance, the tasks involved in extending the operating life of the existing NPP, and the need to train personnel in a timely manner for the further development of the sector.
