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The Armenian Nuclear Power Plant (Հայկական ատոմային էլեկտրակայան), commonly known as the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant, (Armenian: Մեծամորի ատոմային էլեկտրակայան) is the only NPP in the South Caucasus, which is located only 36 kilometers west of the Yerevan, where the city Metsamor lies, an improper land for agricultural purposes. The ANPP is special with its structure because it is one of those few NPPs that were constructed without complementary structure, which usually is a reinforced steel or lead structure enclosing a nuclear reactor. Approximately 40 percent of electricity of Armenia is produced by this NPP in 2015.

History
The ANPP complex consists of two units. The first one was set in motion on December 22 of 1976, and the second one was launched on January 5, 1980. ANPP is CJSC HAEK(Closed Joint Stock Company Armenian Atomic Power Plant), according to the ratification of the Republic of Armenia on usage of nuclear energy, executes the tasks of the Armenian NPP promoter. The principal goal of this company is a performance of activity on safe and cost – efficient energy generation. It is located only 36 kilometers west of the Yerevan, where the city Metsamor lies, an improper land for agricultural purposes. The plant contains two VVER-440 Model V270 nuclear reactors. The NPP lies close to earthquake-prone locality, the seismic stability of which is 8-magnitude. Due to that reason the NPP was constructed to persist up to a 9-magnitude earthquake. The total power of ANPP was 815 MW, each unit has 407.5 MW power. USSR Ministers Council decided that the existing two units of the NPP must shut down. After the fall of USSR, Armenia had serious problems with scarcity of energy, because of which Armenian Government decided to relaunch the second unit. Before this event, Armenian Government summoned many leading international companies to discuss and recommend solution for the emerged situation. Long discussions took place with these companies and an operation was developed. Finally, after five, six years of disconnection, the unit two of the Power plant was started to work on November 5, 1995, which resulted in radical changes in Armenian power supply schedule which moved to day and night basis.

Process Flow of the Armenian NPP Units
The process flow consists of few circuits each one performing its individual role. The primary circuit, that is a separate system from the secondary one, is radioactive and includes a reactor and 6 identical cooling loops. These 6 loops consist of 1 reactor, pump, 2 loop isolation valves and steam generator. There is also a pressurizer in the primary circuit, that is connected to one of these loops. The pressurizer helps to avoid the fluctuations in a pressure of water that cools the reactor and acts as a neutron moderator. The secondary circuit, as mentioned above is not radioactive. The composition of the secondary circuit is as follows: steam generators, steam turbines and pumps. These two circuits have the steam generator as a common component. Heat exchanging tubes transfer generated heat energy to the second circuit. Finally, when the steam lines transfer saturated steam to the turbine, it rotates the generator, which in its turn generates electric current. The third circuit, containing cooling towers, is a cooling system. It condenses the steam generated in a steam generator.

Main technical features of the Armenian NPP Units

 * Number of Units: 2
 * Electric power: 440
 * MW Heat power: 1375MW

Reactor

 * Model: V-270
 * WWER – 440 reactors are operated in Russia, Ukraine, Finland, Czechia, Slovakia and Bulgary.
 * Reactor type: WWER-440
 * Moderator and coolant: water
 * Fuel: UO2 enriched in U235
 * Number of turbine generators per Unit: 2
 * Capacity of turbine generator: 220MW
 * Number of circulation loops: 6 (Reactor coolant pumps, steam generators)

NPP and Environment
As the Metsamor Plant is neighboring Turkey, 16 km from borders, its environmental issues are of great significance for Turkey as well. Moreover, European Union is also concerned with this issues. Previously, there were various proposals to shut down the plant, but as it is of great importance for Armenia, Armenian government decided that it will continue operating until a new one is built. .Radiation is a key problem for both personnel and the environment around the NPP. However, the design solutions ensure safety of Armenian NPP. As far as radioactive releases from NPP are concerned, the barrier system and the application of ALARA principles enable the conservation of sanitary terms, which is irreplaceable from the environmental point of view. The fact is that the actual amount of releases to the environment is hundred times less than it is allowed. The system is also equipped with the ventilation stack that enables the gaseous waste to be removed into the atmosphere. The ventilation system treats this waste with special filters, and the monitoring of the amount of wastage is being done. The key priorities of the Armenian NPP are as follows: Human health protection, maintaining favorable conditions for population, overall satisfaction of the interests of the society as a whole, ecological and economic interests, rational usage of natural resources, working in accordance with nature protection legislation, openness, cooperation with international companies and organizations.

Operating and planned nuclear power in Armenia
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) contributed to the developments and improvements of the plant. Russian government agreed to contribute to the renovation of the plant, which was aimed to extend the lifespan of the NPP by 10 years. Finally, in May 2014, Russia invested 300 million dollars into the project. Due to technical reasons, the plant will be shut down for approximately six months in 2017, to undertake upgrading works. The power of the turbine is expected to increase to 435-440 MWe net. To accomplish the project, some more 40 million dollar debt was incurred.