CONSULTING

Slovenia jointly owns the Krsko nuclear power plant with Croatia—a 696-MW Westinghouse
PWR. In 2015, it provided 5.3 TWh or 38 percent of Slovenia’s electricity (down from a maximum
of 42.4 percent in 2005). The reactor was started in 1981 with an initial operational life of
40 years, but, the operator intends to seek a 20-year life extension. In July 2015, an Inter-State
Commission agreed to extend the plants operational life to 60 years, so that would continue until
2043, as well as to construct a dry storage facility for the spent fuel. 901
In January 2010, an application was made by the nuclear operator to the Ministry of Economy to
build an additional unit, but no advancement of the project has been made since.
Former Soviet Union
Armenia has one remaining reactor at the Medzamor (Armenian-2) nuclear power plant,
which is situated within 30 kilometers of the capital Yerevan. The unit provided 2.5 TWh—more
than in any year since 1988, when two units were operating—or 34.6 percent of the country’s
electricity in 2015, down from a maximum of 45 percent in 2009.
In December 1988, Armenia suffered a major earthquake that killed some 25,000 people and led
to the rapid closure of its two reactors in March 1989. During the early 1990s and following the
collapse of the former Soviet Union, a territorial dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan
resulted in an energy blockade against Armenia that led to significant power shortages, resulting
in the government’s decision in 1993 to re-open unit 2 at Medzamor. The reactor is an early Soviet
design, a VVER 440-230, and in 1995, a U.S. Department of Energy document stated: “In the event
of a serious accident…the reactor’s lack of a containment and proximity to Yerevan could wreak
havoc with the lives of millions.” 902 In October 2012, the Armenia Government announced that it
would operate the Medzamor unit 2026. This led to the Turkish authorities’ calling for the
immediate closure of the power station. 903 In March 2014, the Turkish energy minister said of the
plant: “The nuclear plant, which was put online in 1980, has had a lifespan of 30 years. This plant
has expired and should be immediately closed.” 904 In December 2014, an intergovernmental
agreement was signed that would see the Russian Government finance a program of upgrading to
let the reactor operate until 2026. 905 An application for the life extension license will be launched
in September 2016, with the upgrade work expected to be completed by 2019. The work is to be
funded by a Russian state loan of US$270 million and a grant of US$30 million.
In March 2015, the European Commission released the “Implementation of the European
Neighborhood Policy (ENP) in Armenia”, which stated: “The early closure and decommissioning
901 WNN, “Partners agree on life extension for Krsko”, 21 July 2015, see http://www.world-nuclearnews.org/C-Partners-agree-on-life-extension-for-Krsko-2107154.html,
accessed 2 July 2016.
902 Office on Energy Intelligence, “Most Dangerous Reactors: A Worldwide Compendium of Reactor Risk”,
DOE, May 1995.
903 USAID, “Turkey renews demands for ‘immediate closure’ of Armenian nuke plant”, 5 November 2012.
904 Hurriyet Daily, “Turkey wants nuclear plant in Armenia to be shut down”, 22 March 2014.
905 Diario Armenia, “Armenia and Russia signed an agreement to extend the life of Medzamor nuclear
power plant”, 27 December 2014, see http://www.diarioarmenia.org.ar/armenia-y-rusia-firman-un-acuerdopara-extender-la-vida-util-de-la-central-atomica-de-medzamor/,
accessed 2 July 2015.
Mycle Schneider, Antony Froggatt et al. 207 World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2016