Yerevan, 19 November 2008. On Monday, 17 November 2008, at 08:12 pm, after an extended overhaul the second power-generating unit of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant was brought on stream ahead of schedule. The installed capacity of the power-generating unit integrated into the grid is 407.5 MW.
The overhaul involved complete unloading of fuel, washing of the reactor shell, replacement of used assemblies, installation and checkout as well as performance monitoring, upgrading and major repairs of equipment.
The station's second unit was taken off stream for an overhaul on September 5, 2008. It was initially scheduled to be reactivated on November 29, but the station's staff and the repair contractors completed the overhaul 11 days ahead of schedule.
An early re-commissioning of the second power unit is of great importance not only for Armenia's national grid system as a whole but also for ensuring the performance of water resources in the region since it enables maintaining the water level in Lake Sevan, a major source of fresh water in the Caucasus, during the drought period.
Armenian Nuclear Power Plant is the only active provider of nuclear-generated electricity in the South Caucasus, including the neighbouring countries (Turkey, Iran, Iraq). The primary consumer of electric power generated by the station is the energy market in the Republic of Armenia. The total installed capacity of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant is 815 MW.
|