By Siranush Adamyan
Armenia plans to select the technology for a new nuclear power unit by the end of 2027, setting a deadline for a decision increasingly tied to the country’s energy security and foreign policy.
The commitment is included in the government’s 2026-2031 program, which says Armenia will launch a project to build a new nuclear power unit and, by the end of next year, complete at least the selection of the reactor technology.
The program does not specify the reactor’s capacity, technology or potential supplier. These questions have been a subject of debate in Armenia for several years, with the government considering small modular reactors, or SMRs, alongside more conventional nuclear power plants.
Armenian officials have previously indicated a preference for a relatively small plant better suited to the size of the country’s electricity system. SMRs have emerged as one of the leading possibilities, but the technology remains relatively new and has yet to be widely deployed commercially.
The choice also has geopolitical implications. Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom has proposed building a large- or medium-capacity plant with one or two units. Armenia, meanwhile, has explored possible cooperation with the United States, France, China and South Korea. Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Davit Khudatyan said earlier this year that officials were reviewing proposals from roughly a dozen companies.
Also read: The geopolitics of Armenia’s nuclear future
In recent months, the United States has become a more prominent potential partner. During U.S. Vice President JD Vance’s visit to Armenia in February, Washington and Yerevan signed a Section 123 civil nuclear cooperation agreement, creating a legal framework that could allow U.S. companies to participate in Armenia’s future nuclear program.
Armenia has previously discussed U.S.-designed modular reactors of around 300 megawatts each as a possible replacement for the Soviet-era Metsamor nuclear power plant.
The government’s new program also confirms that Armenia will fully implement a second extension of the operating life of Metsamor, covering 2026 to 2036. The extension would give Yerevan additional time to choose and construct the replacement.
Metsamor currently accounts for as much as 30% of Armenia’s electricity generation. Armenia signed a $65 million modernization agreement with Rosatom in 2023 to keep the Soviet-designed reactor operational until 2036.
Khudatyan said in June that the life-extension program allowed Armenia to avoid rushing the decision on the replacement plant and indicated that the choice could be postponed until 2027. The new government program now formally sets the end of 2027 as the deadline for selecting the technology.
The debate comes as Armenia seeks to reduce its longstanding dependence on Russia in critical infrastructure while maintaining nuclear power as a major part of its energy mix. Rosatom remains deeply involved in Metsamor’s operations, including modernization and nuclear fuel supplies.
Also read: How Armenia’s new partnership with the U.S. is likely to affect its energy sector
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