Nuclear Industry: US and Armenia to sign nuclear agreement

RIA Novosti reports that Armenia and the U.S. will sign an energy cooperation agreement, which includes joint development of environmental safeguards for the country's nuclear industry. The U.S. Embassy said the agreement would be signed on Nov 21.

Armenia is planning to build a new 1,000-MWt power unit on the site of an existing nuclear power plant, which has been operational since 1976.
The Armenia-U.S. agreement stipulates that the parties will join efforts in preliminary assessment of environmental threats and the development of seismic safeguards if the new reactor is built.

Specialists believe the existing Armenian NPP, located in the town of Metsamor, near the Turkish border, will remain operational until 2016. It generates 40-50% of Armenia's electricity.

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