The Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant (Armenian: Մեծամոր ատոմակայան) was built during the 1970s, about thirty kilometres west of the Armenian capital of Yerevan. The plant was constructed with two VVER-440 Model V230 nuclear reactors[1], and the technology used at the time is no longer acceptable by modern safety standards.[2] The power plant produces about 40% of Armenia's electricity. It was closed due to the 1988 earthquake in Armenia. However, blockades by Turkey and Azerbaijan, which created energy shortages in Armenia, caused the Armenian government to decide to reopen the plant in 1993. The Unit 2 reactor was brought back into operation on October 26, 1995[3]. The resources of the working Armenian nuclear power plant will be exhausted by 2016, thus Armenia is currently discussing the issue of constructing a new nuclear power plant of 1,000 MW, with a projected cost of $1.5 billion dollars.
The plant has been operated by Russian company Inter RAO UES, a joint subsidiary of RAO UES and Rosenergoatom since 2003, as part of a five year term to help pay off Armenia's debts.
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