On 15 May 2024, European Union (EU) representatives visited the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant (ANPP). The group was led by a Deputy Director-General of the European Commission’s Directorate General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA), Ms Marjeta Jager, and included representatives from INTPA and the Delegation of the European Union to Armenia. The hosts were represented by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure, the Armenian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (ANRA), Armatom and ANPP. The EU representatives were welcomed by the ANPP General Director Mr Eduard Martirosyan, who expressed his gratitude to the EU for the long-term, stable and tangible support provided to ANPP. He highlighted that since 1996, the EU supported implementation of about 60 measures aimed at improving nuclear safety of ANPP. The latest landmark in the longstanding EU-Armenia cooperation on nuclear safety is the delivery of six mobile diesel generators (MDGs), one of the important remaining EU supported stress-test measures. He stated that today, thanks to the joint efforts of ANRA and ANPP, and the support provided by the EU, the MDGs could be handed over to the Armenian end users.

In her welcome speech, Ms Jager recalled that the President of the European Commission Ms Ursula von der Leyen announced on 5 April 2024 a new EU support package of EUR 270 million over the next 4 years aimed at supporting Armenia, including in the area of nuclear safety. She emphasized that over 30 years of cooperation, the EU already contributed over EUR 70 million to support nuclear safety in Armenia, including about EUR 50 million for ANPP and about EUR 20 million for ANRA. Ms Jager stated that continuous work on nuclear safety remains an EU political priority that was also confirmed at the EU-Armenia Partnership Council 2024, held in Brussels. Ms Jager expressed her high appreciation for the fruitful partnership with Armenia on nuclear safety, ANRA and ANPP’s continued commitment and efforts to improve the plant’s nuclear safety, in particular after the 2015 stress-test.

After welcoming speeches by Mr Martirosyan and Ms Jager, all participants were presented with an overview of ANPP modernisation measures and EU support to address the stress-test measures, including details of three ongoing EU-funded projects in a Team Europe spirit:1) on-site assistance, implemented by Enconet Consulting of Austria, 2) improvement of confinement tightness, implemented by VÚEZ of the Slovak Republic, and 3) alternative power supply (provision of MDGs) implemented by ES-Group of Czechia.

The EU and Armenian representatives then witnessed a ribbon-cutting ceremony during which Ms Jager handed over six EU-financed mobile diesel generators to Mr Khachikyan (ANRA) and Mr Martirosyan (ANPP).

The visit was concluded by a tour of ANPP Unit 2, which provided an opportunity to observe the outcome of the most prominent EU-funded projects implemented at ANPP. At the end of the successful visit, both sides expressed confidence that cooperation will continue for mutual benefit.