Russia has ‘discussed in detail the construction’ of new nuclear power units in Armenia and offered Yerevan ‘comprehensive cooperation’ on their construction. The offer came ahead of an upcoming visit by US Vice President JD Vance to Armenia on Monday, during which Washington and Yerevan are expected to discuss cooperation on nuclear energy, among other issues.
The Russian offer was made on 6 February, when Armenia’s Parliamentary Speaker Alen Simonyan met with the General Director of Russia’s State Nuclear Agency Rosatom, Aleksei Likhachev, during an official visit to Russia.
Unlike the Armenian readout, which just briefly suggested that the sides had ‘discussed issues of mutual interest’, Rosatom’s statement offered further details.
Aside from talking about ‘the progress of work’ on the second extension of the operating life of the Armenian nuclear power plant (NPP), Likhachev additionally offered ‘comprehensive cooperation, including the construction of large, medium, or small-capacity plants and the implementation of related projects, including non-nuclear ones’.
Armenia contracted Rosatom in December 2023 to extend the operation of the Metsamor NPP Reactor 2 until 2036.
Metsamor is the only nuclear power plant in the South Caucasus. Environmentalists, Turkey, and the EU have all expressed concerns about the safety of the current reactor, urging the government to shut it down.
Arshaluys Barseghyan
In September 2024, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced that Armenia made ‘a strategic decision’ to switch to a small modular nuclear power plant, citing safety considerations.
The announcement marked a shift in Yerevan’s plans for its nuclear sector. Previously, Armenia had been in talks with Russia to build a new facility to replace the ageing Metsamor NPP.
Armenian officials have since said that Yerevan is reviewing proposals for modular nuclear reactors from Russia, the US, France, China, and South Korea.
Despite earlier statements that a final decision would be made by the end of 2025, Armenia has yet to select a preferred model, now indicating that a choice is likely to be made in either 2026 or 2027.
Arshaluys BarseghyanOn the same evening as the meeting between Armenian and Russian officials, Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan told Armenian Public TV in Yerevan that during Vance’s visit on Monday, the two sides would discuss several new areas for developing bilateral relations, including cooperation in peaceful nuclear energy.
Kostanyan also confirmed that Armenia had not yet made a final choice on the modular nuclear reactors model, but said that Armenian authorities, including the Foreign Ministry, were working to ensure a legal and contractual framework with the US in case Yerevan ultimately selects the US option, so as ‘not to lose time’.
In August 2025, a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the US and Armenia expressed ‘mutual interest in investment in Armenia’s energy sector, aimed at contributing to Armenia’s energy diversification, security, resilience, and modernisation of Armenia’s energy sector’, as well as ‘affirming the common desire to enhance civilian nuclear cooperation’.
