Who Will Build Armenia’s New Nuclear Plant?
- Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan confirmed that Armenia’s next nuclear plant will be a small modular reactor.
- Yerevan is in talks with five countries—Russia, the U.S., China, France, and South Korea—to secure the best economic deal.
- The Metsamor plant is nearing the end of its lifespan, making replacement plans increasingly urgent.
The Armenian government is playing the field in search of the best deal to construct a new nuclear power plant to replace the aging Metsamor facility.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced during a question-and-answer session in parliament that negotiations are ongoing with several nations. He added that the government had already decided that Metsamor’s replacement will be a “small modular” reactor.
“Now the next question is: with whom will we build, with whom will we cooperate?” he said.
Pashinyan went on to list five countries that have been engaged in discussions – Russia, the United States, China, France and South Korea. He asserted that the government will award the contract purely on the basis of economic considerations.
“We absolutely do not put a political component into it. We must focus on which of the proposals will suit us best in terms of commercial and economic benefits, and based on this, make a choice,” he said.
When Pashinyan was in Moscow in late September, Russian officials, including Kremlin kingpin Vladimir Putin, lobbied the prime minister hard for Rosatom, the Russian nuclear entity, to get the job. Just a few days later, Armenian officials announced they are striving to finalize a “123 agreement” with the United States to enable nuclear cooperation and the transfer of sensitive technologies.
Armenia’s existing Metsamor nuclear plant is on its last legs and has a maximum extended lifespan of about another decade.
Fico signals Slovak-US agreement on Bohunice unit
Speaking at the European Nuclear Energy Forum in Bratislava, Fico spoke about European Union energy policy, saying there must be "common sense" and "it simply will not work without nuclear energy. If we want stable, affordable and ecological energy sources, we must not only preserve nuclear energy, but also further develop it".
According to the government website's report of the speech, ministers approved in September the wording of an intergovernmental agreement with the US "on the construction of a new nuclear unit in Jaslovské Bohunice, which will be state-owned and will have an output of more than 1,000 MW".
It quoted him as saying: "This project will be important not only for Slovakia, but also for the whole of Central Europe. We need new energy sources if we want to remain competitive and respond to growing consumption."
The Slovak government officially approved plans in May 2024 for a 1.2 GWe unit near the existing Bohunice nuclear power plant, with South Korea, the USA and France at the time seen as potential partners.
In August Fico said the European Commission had "positively assessed" a draft agreement between the governments of the Slovak Republic and the USA on cooperation in the field of nuclear energy, which he added was a prerequisite for the conclusion of an intergovernmental agreement on the construction of a new Westinghouse unit in Bohunice.
According to the country's energy department, negotiations with the USA continued after the Slovak government approved the wording of the agreement on 10 September. On 16 September it quoted Deputy Prime Minister Denisa Saková as saying: "Negotiations are progressing and we are gradually approaching the signing of the agreement. I believe that nuclear energy can be a great opportunity for both countries - in addition to helping us strengthen energy security, it will advance research and open the door to new projects and cooperation."
During his speech Fico also highlighted cooperation between Slovakia’s JAVYS and Newcleo on the latter's lead-cooled small modular reactors which are powered by reused nuclear fuel: "If we succeed in this project, Slovakia will become a leader in innovations in the nuclear field," he said.
He also criticised the European Union’s RePowerEU proposals, which are designed to "end dependency on Russian energy", saying that "if nuclear fuel is included in RePowering, it will threaten the energy security of the entire European Union".
Slovakia currently has five nuclear reactors - three at Mochovce and two at Bohunice - generating half of its electricity, and it has one more at Mochovce under construction. Both plants are operated by Slovenske Elektrarne.
Cold testing of second San'ao unit completed
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Cold functional tests are carried out to confirm whether components and systems important to safety are properly installed and ready to operate in a cold condition. The main purpose of these tests is to verify the leak-tightness of the primary circuit and components - such as pressure vessels, pipelines and valves of both the nuclear and conventional islands - and to clean the main circulation pipes. The tests mark the first time the reactor systems are operated together with the auxiliary systems.
"At 20:25 on 5 October, on the occasion of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the cold performance test of Unit 2 of the CGN Zhejiang Sanmao Nuclear Power Project was successfully completed," China General Nuclear (CGN) said. "The primary circuit pressure boundary of the unit was intact and well sealed."
Cold testing will now be followed by hot functional tests, which involve increasing the temperature of the reactor coolant system and carrying out comprehensive tests to ensure that coolant circuits and safety systems are operating as they should. Carried out before the loading of nuclear fuel, such testing simulates the thermal working conditions of the power plant and verifies that nuclear island and conventional equipment and systems meet design requirements.
In September 2020, the executive meeting of China's State Council approved the construction of units 1 and 2 as the first phase of the San'ao plant. China's National Nuclear Safety Administration issued a construction permit for the two units on 30 December that year and first concrete for unit 1 was poured the following day. The first concrete for San'ao 2 was poured on 30 December 2021.
San'ao 1 and 2 are scheduled to begin supplying electricity in 2026 and 2027, respectively. Colding testing of unit 1 was completed in November 2024, with hot tests completed in June this year.
The construction site on San'ao 1 and 2 (Image CGN)
The San'ao plant is the first nuclear power project in China's Yangtze River Delta region to adopt the Hualong One reactor design. A total of six Hualong One units are planned for the San'ao site. In August last year, the State Council approved the construction of San'ao Phase II (units 3 and 4).
The San'ao project marks the first Chinese nuclear power project involving private capital, with Geely Technology Group taking a 2% stake in the plant. CGN holds 46% of the shares of the project company Cangnan Nuclear Power, with other state-owned enterprises holding the remainder.
Costain to reduce height of Trawsfynydd reactor buildings
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The contract was awarded by Nuclear Restoration Services (NRS), a subsidiary of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA). Set to begin later this year, the project will reshape the site's iconic skyline through the partial removal of the upper sections of both reactor buildings, lowering them from about 54 metres to 25 metres.
The work will recover about 15,000 cubic metres of concrete and brickwork and remove about 10 overhead cranes, including two which weigh more than a Boeing 747.
Costain previously delivered enabling works at Trawsfynydd to facilitate the decommissioning process, including the installation of a new capping roof on both the reactor buildings, major de-planting of the primary boiler sections, and rerouting of electrical supplies.
The company will also deliver civils and remedial works to ensure that the buildings are in a safe and stable condition for the commencement of subsequent decommissioning activity on the site.
The programme is expected to take around four years.
Costain is also working with NRS on a six-year decommissioning programme across 11 UK sites, and delivering decommission and asset care work for Sellafield as part of the Decommissioning Delivery Partnership.
"This is a pivotal moment for Trawsfynydd," said NRS CEO Rob Fletcher. "After years of careful planning and preparation, we're now moving into the delivery phase of one of the most complex and ambitious decommissioning projects in the UK. We're delighted to be working with our supply chain partners to shape this next stage in the site's journey, ensuring the work is undertaken safely, securely and sustainably for all our futures."
NDA group CEO David Peattie added: "This is a tangible step forward in one of the most significant projects in the NDA group's portfolio and really embodies our commitment to delivering on a safer, cleaner future for generations to come. Reduction of the reactor buildings will not only advance our mission but also create first-of-its-kind opportunities for Wales, showcasing innovation and leadership in nuclear decommissioning."
Sam White, managing director, natural resources at Costain, said: "Whether it's designing the infrastructure that will produce the next generation of advanced nuclear fuel, plant optimisation or managing large-scale decommissioning programmes, Costain has decades of experience delivering predictable, best-in class solutions across the entire nuclear energy lifecycle.
"This work is all part of creating a sustainable future, and we're looking forward to deepening our relationship with NRS and working collaboratively with our local supply chain to complete this complex decommissioning project to the highest safety and quality standards."
The 392 MWe Trawsfynydd Magnox nuclear power plant began operation in 1965 and was retired in 1991, with defueling completed by 1997. In July 2020, the NDA announced its intention to pursue a rolling programme of decommissioning aimed at accelerating Magnox reactor sites decommissioning with Trawsfynydd identified as the 'lead and learn' site.
GVH, Samsung C&T form BWRX-300 strategic alliance
The two companies will work together to advance the deployment of BWRX-300 small modular reactors in strategic global markets outside North America, with a focus on developing the supply chain and project delivery solutions. They will also work together in the potential deployment of five BWRX-300s in Sweden.
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GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GVH) is GE Vernova's nuclear energy business, and is a GE Vernova-led joint venture with Hitachi Ltd. Its first BWRX-300 small modular reactor (SMR) is under construction at Ontario Power Generation’s Darlington site in Canada, with completion expected by the end of the decade.
Korean-headquartered multi-business company Samsung C&T’s Engineering & Construction Group has more than 40 years of engineering and construction experience operating throughout the world including in the nuclear energy sector with expertise across all areas of the nuclear industry, including delivery of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the United Arab Emirates.
"With the first unit of our BWRX-300 under construction in Canada, we are well positioned to lead the deployment and scale of the SMR industry," said Maví Zingoni, CEO Power, GE Vernova. "This collaboration with a leading player like Samsung C&T, which has a solid track record of helping to deliver nuclear projects safely, on-time and on-budget, will further strengthen the BWRX-300 position among the most advanced, deployment-ready, and lowest-risk SMR technology available today."
Samsung C&T CEO Se-chul Oh said Samsung C&T and GVH aim to become global leaders in the nuclear power segment through strategic collaboration. "The collaboration will capitalise on Samsung C&T's extensive experience in nuclear power and infrastructure project execution, combined with GVH's validated technological expertise," he said.
The BWRX-300 is a 300 MWe water-cooled, natural circulation SMR with passive safety systems that leverages the design and licensing basis of GE Hitachi's ESBWR boiling water reactor, and has been earmarked for potential construction projects in several countries. The Tennessee Valley Authority has submitted an application to US regulators to construct a unit at Clinch River in Tennessee, while Orlen Synthos Green Energy has selected Włocławek as the site for Poland’s first SMR.
It is one of two SMR designs shortlisted by Vattenfall for new nuclear capacity to be built adjacent to its Ringhals plant site on the Värö Peninsula in Sweden: the other is the Rolls-Royce SMR.
In April, Samsung C&T's Engineering & Construction Group signed a teaming agreement with Estonia's Fermi Energia to collaborate on the deployment of two BWRX-300 small modular reactors in Estonia.
Arkansas to consider nuclear new-build
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The scope of the study encompasses a rigorous evaluation of the advantages and disadvantages associated with nuclear power in Arkansas, including economic, environmental, and workforce considerations. The assessment will further address optimal siting, safety protocols, advanced technology options, including large, small modular, and micro reactors.
Other areas of consideration include critical infrastructure requirements, such as transmission and transportation capabilities. Rockville, Maryland-based Excel Services will provide interim findings, a draft report, and a final report within a ten-month period.
"We are honoured by the confidence placed in us by the Arkansas legislature," said Excel Services founder, President and CEO Donald Hoffman. "Nuclear power presents a significant opportunity to enhance the state's energy independence, support industrial growth, and foster long-term workforce development. We are committed to delivering an assessment that is both practical and forward-looking."
Representative Jack Ladyman commented: "Arkansas is committed to exploring every avenue to secure our energy future. This feasibility study will ensure that our decisions are informed by the best available expertise and analysis. We selected Excel because of its experience and expertise and look forward to reviewing the findings on how nuclear energy can contribute to our state's prosperity and resilience."
Arkansas is currently home to two pressurised water reactors at the Arkansas Nuclear One plant - near Russellville in Pope County - which is owned and operated by Entergy. The plant provides about 24% of the state's electricity. Arkansas Nuclear One units 1 and 2 are licensed to operate until 2034 and 2038, respectively.
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