Armenia Nuclear Power Profile IAEA, Vienna 10-13 May
General Information The referendum for independence of Armenia was held on 21 September 1991. Based on the results of the referendum (99% voted for independence), the parliament (The Supreme Soviet of the Armenian SSR) adopted the Declaration of Independence and announced the independence of the Republic of Armenia. Constitution: The Constitution was adopted on 5 July 1995, via a popular referendum. Amendments were adopted by referendum on 27 November 2005 and 6 December 2015. According to the last ammendment the system of the Government from the presidental is become to the parlamentary system. Executive Power: The executive power in the Republic of Armenia belongs to the Government of the Republic. The Government is composed of the Prime Minister and the Ministers. Legislative Power: Legislative power in the Republic of Armenia belongs to the National Assembly. The National Assembly is a 131-seat body. Judicial Power: In the Republic of Armenia, justice is carried out by Courts in accordance with the Constitution and the Laws of the Republic of Armenia.
Geography and Climate The Republic of Armenia is a landlocked mountainous country bordered on the north by the Republic of Georgia, on the east and southwest by Azerbaijan, on the south by Iran and on the west by Turkey (FIG 1). The northern border is 196 km long, the border with Azerbaijan is 913 km; the southern border has a length of 42 km and the western border, 280 km. The land area of the republic is 29 743 km 2. The terrain is defined by the high Armenian Plateau with mountains, little forestation and fast flowing rivers. The average height above sea level is about 1800 metres. The climate is highland continental with hot and dry summers and cold winters. Annual average temperature varies from -2.7 C to 13.8 C. The coldest month is January (from 1.2 C to -12.8 C) and the hottest months are July and August (from 25.8 C to 28.7 C). Summer temperatures may rise to 42 C, winter temperatures reach a minimum of -46 C. Summer relative humidity is 32-45% (July-August), winter relative humidity is 80-90%. Annual rainfall varies from 220 mm to 900 mm. The annual maximum sunshine is 2780 hours (Lake Sevan area), and minimum annual sunshine is 1930 hours (Ijevan).
Population Average annual growth rate (%) Year 1970 a 1979 a 1989 a 2001 a 2005 b 2010 b 2014 b 2015 b 2005 a to 2015 a Population (millions) 2.492 3.031 3.449 3.214 3.218 3.055 3.017 3.010-0.69 Population density (inhabitants/km 2 ) 83.8 101.9 116.0 108.1 108.2 102.7 101.4 101.2-0.69 Urban Population** as % of total 59.5 65.7 68.7 64.4 64.1 63.5 63.4 63.5-0.09 Area (1000 km 2 ) 29.743 Year 1970 a 1980 a 1990 a 2000 a 2005 b 2010 b 2015 b 2000 b to 2015 b Population (millions) 2492.6 3080.5 3514.9 3226.9 3156 3055.2 3010.6-0.46 Population density (inhabitants/km 2 ) Urban Population** as % of total 83.8 103.6 118.2 108.5 106.1 102.7 101.2-0.46 59.1 65.7 68.8 64.9 64 63.5 63.5-0.61 Area (1000 km 2 ) 29.743 a Formal data of the census of population, b Country Statistic Information.
Economic Indicators Average annual growth rate (%) 1990 2000 2005 2010 2014 2000to 2014 GDP (millions of current USD) 4098 1912 4900 9260 10893 13.2 GDP (millions of constant 2005-USD) 2820 1910 3400 5918 7102 9.8 GDP per capita, PPP* (constant 2005- International $/capita) - 2294.1 4097.8 5118.3 7689 9.02 GDP per capita (current USD/capita) 1145.0 515.0 1523.0 3124.8 3610.5 14.9 *PPP: Purchasing Power Parity Source: Data & Statistics/the World Bank; Country Information, National Statistical Service of RA.
Energy Information The energy reserves are shown in Table below. To meet its energy requirements, Armenia has to import gas, oil products and nuclear fuel. Estimated available energy sources Fossil Fuels Nuclear Renewable Solid (1) Liquid (2) Gas (3) Uranium (4) Hydro (5) Other Renewable (5) (Wind) Total amount in specific units* Total amount in Exajoule (EJ) - - 176.0-7.0 1.1 - - 0.006-0.025 0.004
ENERGY STATISTICS (EJ) Average annual growth rate (%) 2000 2005 2010 2015 2000 to 2015 Energy consumption* - Total 0.0920.109 0.103 0.131 2.38 - Solids** 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 - Liquids 0.0130.017 0.017 0.013-0 - Gases 0.0520.056 0.048 0.062 1.18 - Nuclear 0.0220.030 0.029 0.03 2.09 - Hydro 0.0050.006 0.0092 0.008 3.18 - Other Renewables 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Energy production - Total 0.0270.036 0.0382 0.018-2.67 - Solids** 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 - Liquids 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 - Gases 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 - Nuclear 0.0220.030 0.029 0.03-2.09 - Hydro 0.0050.006 0.0092 0.008 3.18 - Other Renewables 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Net import (Import - Export) - Total 0.0640.073 0.065 0.045-2.3 Primary energy sources, in ExaJoule (EJ). * Energy consumption = Primary energy consumption + Net import (Import - Export) of secondary energy. ** Solid fuels include coal, lignite. Source: RA Custom Service of RA data.
According to the Law On Energy of the Republic of Armenia, the main principle of the Government policy in the Energy sector is the separation of functions of economic activity, state management and regulation. According to the main regulating principle, the rights of the consumers and economic interests in the energy sector are to be balanced. According to this Law, the functions of regulation were given to the Commission on Public Services. On 01 August2015 the following tariffs were established for electricity: TARIFF FOR ELECTRICITY (AMD/kWh) Groups of final consumers Unit Tariff rate, day (night), (VAT inclusive) 1 consumers using 110 kv and above connection AMD/kWh 37.28(33.28) 2 consumers using 35 kv and above connection AMD/kWh 39.78 (35.78) 3 consumers using 6(10) kv connection AMD/kWh 45.78 (35.78) 4 consumers using 0.38 kv connection AMD/kWh 48.78 (38.78) 5 residential customers AMD/kWh 48.78 (38.78))
Main Indicators On January 1, 2015 the total capacity of the electric energy generating plants in Armenia was 4.06 GW(e). In 2015, electricity production was 7.8 billion kwh. Table 5 shows the historical statistics of electricity production and its distribution by plant types, Table 6 - the energy related ratios. In 2015, the electricity consumption was around 2016 kwh/capita in Armenia. The electricity consumption of Yerevan city is about 34% of the total electricity consumption in Armenia. Structure of management of the Energy Sector
ELECTRICITY PRODUCTION, CONSUMPTION AND CAPACITY Average annual growth rate (%) 1988 2000 2005 2010 2012 2015 2000 to 2015 Capacity of electrical plants (GWe) - Thermal 1.74 1.74 1.74 1.99 2.43 2.43 2.25 - Hydro (incl. Small HPPs &Wind) 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.10 1.21 1.25 1.50 - Nuclear 0.76 0.38 0.38 0.38 0.38 0.38 0.00 - Total 3.51 3.12 3.12 3.47 4.02 4.06 1.70 Electricity production (TWh) - Thermal 8.94 2.69 1.83 1.41 3.37 2.8 0.26 - Hydro (incl. Small HPPs &Wind) 1.52 1.26 1.66 2.59 2.31 2.21 3.82 - Nuclear 4.82 2.01 2.72 2.49 2.31 2.79 2.21 - Total (1) 15.28 5.96 6.21 6.49 8.03 7.8 1.81 Total Electricity consumption (TWh) 12.39 4.77 4.89 5.21 5.92 7.43 3.00
NUCLEAR POWER SITUATION Historical Development and current organizational structure A decision to construct a nuclear power plant in Armenia was made by the former USSR Council of Ministers, and the appropriate decree was issued in September 1966. The technical specification to design the ANPP was developed by Teploelectroproject in 1968 and approved in August 1969 under decree N 1624 R.C. of the former USSR Ministry of Energy. More than 20 potential sites were considered for the ANPP construction, and finally a site was selected in the western part of the Ararat valley, 16 km from Turkish border, 10 km to the north-east of region centre Hoktemberyan (Armavir), and 28 km (to the west) from Yerevan. Location of the ANPP is shown in Figure 3. In accordance with that specification, the capacity of the ANPP (first stage of construction) with VVER-440 type reactors was to be 815.0 MW, each unit of 407.5 MW. The ANPP design life-time was specified to be 30 years. The comprehensive studies and analyses showed that seismic conditions of the ANPP site were characterized an intensity level of eight-point s according to MSK-64 scale. It was the first nuclear power plant in the USSR intended to be constructed in a region of high seismicity. The specific nature of the ANPP site - its seismicity - caused significant changes in the design of VVER-440/230, not only in construction, but also in the design of the reactor facility as a whole, and the reactor was assigned with the new identification V-270. The design of the reactor was based on the project of Unit 3 and 4 of the Novovoronezh NPP. The reactor building, auxiliary building, ventilation stack, as well as the buildings and structures containing equipment and instrumentation of safety systems or safety-related on-line systems and communications connecting these structures were assigned with a category of High Importance. They were considered to have one point more seismic resistance than that of the ANPP site. The ANPP was commissioned in 1976, achieving initial criticality for Unit 1 on 22 December 1976 and for Unit 2 on 5 January 1980. The units were put into commercial operation on 6 October, 1977 and 3 May 1980, respectively.
After the 1988 earthquake, although the ANPP was not damaged, the Council of Ministers of the USSR decreed to shut down the ANPP as a precautionary measure. Unit 1 was shut down on 25 February, 1989 and Unit 2 on 18 March, 1989. The units were not decommissioned, but kept in prolonged shut down condition. Apart from those which occurred during the short period of regaining independence, there have been no strong antinuclear movements in Armenia. The current sentiment of the public can be explained not by lack of awareness of the risks involved in the utilization of nuclear energy, but, in the face of the difficult economic conditions, by the considerably lower price of nuclear electricity, which outweighs its possible risks In April 1993, the Government of Armenia decided to restart Unit 2 of the ANPP in order to overcome the severe economic crisis, taking into account the lack in national energy resources. Following 6.5 years of outage, with the technical and financial help of the Russian Federation, Unit 2 of the ANPP was restarted on 5 November 1995. Unit 1 remained in a state of stand-still. According to the decision of the RA Government minutes on 27 March 2014 the works for the extension of the Armenian NPP Unit 2 design lifetime have been launched. After the execution of the work the relevant documents will be submitted to the Armenian Nuclear Regulatory Authority to receive the Unit s exploitation license for the period beginning September 2016. Following the ANPP restart, 35.85 billion kwh of electric energy had been generated by 1 January, keeping to the load schedule of the Armenian power system.
Nuclear Power Plants: Overview The ANPP consists of two VVER-440 type nuclear power units. Both units of the ANPP with the VVER- 440 (V-270) type reactors were designed and constructed by organizations of the former Soviet Union under the supervision of the Ministry of Energy and Electrification of the USSR. The design of the first stage of the plant was developed in 1969-1970. The chief scientific supervisor was Kurchatov Institute of Atomic Energy (Moscow). Now it is called RNC Kurchatov Institute. The chief design organization was Teploelectroproject (TEP), Gorki. Now it is called NIAEP, Nizhny Novgorod. The main reactor construction organization was OKB Gidropress, Podolsk. The Izhora Factory Leningrad Enterprise was the manufacturer of the reactors and systems. The turbines were manufactured by the Kharkov Turbine Plant (KHTP). The electric generators were supplied by the Electrosila plant of Leningrad. The building-construction work was performed by the Gidroenergostroy, Yerevan. Since 1989, Unit 1 remained in a stand-still regime. Since its restart (1995), Unit 2 of the ANPP has been in operation. Unit 2 has an installed gross capacity of 407.5 MW. All the nuclear fuel necessary for the ANPP operation was delivered in the past and is currently being delivered by the TVEL Concern of Russian Federation.
Net Reactor Unit Type Capacity Status Operator Reactor First First Construction Commercial Criticality Grid Supplier Date Date [MW(e)] Date Date ARMENIAN- 1980-01- 1980-01- PWR 375 Operational ANPPCJSC FAEA 1975-07-01 2 01 05 ARMENIAN- 1 PWR 376 Permanent Shutdown ANPPCJSC FAEA 1969-07-01 1976-12- 15 Shutdown Date UCF for 2015 1980-05-03 89.5 1976-12- 22 1977-10-06 1989-02- 25 3 3 3 2 2 2 Significant safety events dynamics based on INES scale 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 00 0 0 00 00 00 0 0 00 00 00 0 00 00 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015
300 299 Safety upgrading activities 250 Modifications according to technical decisions, improving safety and reliability of NPP equipment and systems 200 174 164 150 140 100 97 100 84 70 63 55 50 45 45 35 35 25 25 25 14 10 8 14 12 8 9 10 8 9 10 13 8 10 4 6 8 4 4 10 5 0 1993-1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Historical annual upgrading measures
Future Development of Nuclear Power According to the decision of the RA Government minutes on 27 March 2014 the works for the extension of the Armenian NPP Unit 2 design lifetime have been launched. After the execution of the work the relevant documents will be submitted to the Armenian Nuclear Regulatory Authority to receive the Unit s exploitation license for the period beginning September 2016. The Energy Security Ensuring Concept of the Republic of Armenia was adopted by the President of RA on 23 October 2013 according to which Armenia will continue to exploit the existing nuclear unit until the construction of the new one. Action Plan for provision the energy security concept of the republic of Armenia for 2014-2020 was adopted by the Government Decree 836-N as of 31 July 2014. According to the action plan in 2026 should be put into operation the new nuclear power plant up to 1000 MW capacity. The document on Long-term (up to 2036) development pathways for RA energy sector has been approved by the RA government protocol decision 54-13, on 10 December 2015. Nuclear scenario of development has been once again stated. According to that document taking into account the energy consumption and the needs to ensure the energy security of the country is necessary to build the new nuclear power plant up to 600 MW capacities.