Rosatom has offered Armenia a concrete proposal to build a new nuclear power unit with a capacity of at least 1,000 megawatts, Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev said on September 29 following talks with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Yerevan.

Likhachev that the proposal is based on the VVER-1000 reactor and that Rosatom intends to make its offer competitive as Armenia considers options for the country’s next nuclear facility. He described the VVER-1000 as a modern design combining economic efficiency with Generation III+ safety systems.

The talks also covered the future of Armenia’s existing nuclear plant. Pashinyan stated that Likhachev discussed extending the operating life of Metsamor’s second reactor, as well as possible arrangements for constructing a new nuclear power unit. Rosatom also presented proposals involving small and medium-capacity reactors.

According to Pashinyan, Armenia is continuing discussions with international partners and will make a decision in the near future. He stressed that the final choice would be based on price, quality, safety, construction timelines and guarantees rather than political considerations. Armenia has been preparing for the eventual replacement of Metsamor for several years. The plant’s second reactor, a Soviet-designed VVER-440 unit, remains one of the country’s main sources of electricity and is currently scheduled to operate until 2036 following a programme to extend its service life.

Rosatom has a longstanding role in the Armenian nuclear sector. Its subsidiaries have been involved in the modernisation and maintenance of Metsamor’s operating reactor, while Russia remains the supplier of nuclear fuel for the plant. The question of a replacement reactor has become more significant as Armenia seeks to diversify its international partnerships. Yerevan and Washington signed a civil nuclear cooperation agreement earlier this year, while Armenia has continued discussions with several potential suppliers and technology providers.

The Armenian government has not yet selected the reactor technology or foreign partner for the new plant. Pashinyan has repeatedly said that Armenia will choose the proposal offering the best combination of price, quality and reliability.

The choice will determine the structure of Armenia’s nuclear sector for decades. A Russian-built reactor would extend Rosatom’s role in the country’s energy system well beyond the planned retirement of Metsamor, while a different supplier would mark a significant change in Armenia’s nuclear cooperation.

For now, Armenia is keeping its options open, with the government expected to make further decisions on the technology and partners in the coming months.