23.04.2007 // ArmInfo

Armenia will become an active participant in the International Uranium Enrichment Center in Angarsk: the head of Rosatom

Armenia will become an active participant in the International Uranium Enrichment Center project in Angarsk, the head of the Federal Agency of Nuclear Energy (Rosatom) Sergey Kiriyenko said during a meeting with Armenian Ecology Minister Vardan Aivazyan today.

Kiriyenko noted that the real uranium reserves of Armenia can be 1.5–2 times bigger than the ones mentioned in the Soviet-time reports. The deposit is located in Sunik region (Southern Armenia) and is supposed to contain almost 30,000 tons of uranium. The Russian side is ready to enlarge its prospecting activities in Armenia and is ready to invest in this project as much as necessary. Russia is also ready to consider the possibility of its participation in the construction of a new NPP in Armenia.

In his turn, Aivazyan said that half of all bilateral agreements have already been fulfilled and now the sides have to start the practical work. Armenia is ready to provide a relevant license. Aivazyan hopes that uranium deposit development in Armenia will be started in early 2008.

To remind, for the first time the idea of uranium Russian-Armenian JV in Armenia was raised during the meeting of Armenian and Russian presidents Robert Kocharyan and Vladimir Putin in Sochi in early 2007. Armenian Energy Minister Armen Movsissyan believes that Armenia can produce uranium not only for Armenian NPP (400 tons) but also for export.