Armenia - World Nuclear Outlook Report
Current operations
Armenia has one operable reactor and plans for new capacity. Two units were constructed at Metsamor and were connected to the grid in 1976 and 1980. Following an earthquake in 1988 both units were taken offline. Unit 2 was returned to service in 1995. This single operable reactor generates more than a quarter of the country’s electricity.
In March 2023 the government approved a 10-year operating lifetime extension for Metsamor 2. The government stated that the several planned investments, along with the already implemented upgrades, could extend the operating lifetime of the reactor to 2036. In April 2026 Metsamor 2 was shut down in the latest of several outages to complete this work. The Armenian government formally approved the allocation of a state loan to finance the operating life extension of the 416-MW Metsamor 2 nuclear power unit in July 2026.
| Operable reactors | Operable reactors net capacity (MWe) | Operable reactors gross capacity (MWe) | Reactors under construction | Reactors under construction gross capacity (MWe) | Cumulative carbon dioxide emissions avoided 1970-2025 (cf. coal) (MtCO2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 416 | 448 | 0 | - | 71.8 |
Nuclear policy and outlook
Construction of a new nuclear plant has long been part of Armenia’s overall plan, although finance has proved to be an obstacle.
In February 2026, a 123 Agreement on peaceful nuclear cooperation was signed during the visit of the US Vice President, enabling US companies to export nuclear technology, fuel and services to Armenia.
The government had been considering a large reactor but in May 2026 prime minister Nikol Pashinyan said that an SMR was now being pursued as the amount of electricity generated from solar in Armenia meant there would no longer be a need for a 1000 MWe plant. According to Armenian Minister, Davit Khudatyan, proposals from Russia, the United States, China, South Korea, and France were all under consideration and a final technology decision was expected by 2027.
Table Am.2 Contributions to total capacity projection in 2050 (gross)
| 60 year operation (MWe) | 80 year operation (MWe) | Currently under construction capacity (MWe) | Planned capacity (MWe) | Proposed capacity (MWe) | Potential capacity (MWe) | Government capacity target (MWe) | Additional capacity* required to meet government target (MWe) | Total capacity (MWe) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | 448 | - | - | 300 | - | - | - | 748 |
| *Capacity additional to operable, under construction, planned, proposed and potential capacities required to meet the government target. | ||||||||
Readiness Assessment
Armenia has a strong policy rationale for retaining nuclear power as part of its energy mix, an established regulator and active long-term operation work intended to extend the operation at Metsamor 2 to 2036. The proposed SMR is intended to act as a replacement for the Metsamor unit.
| Country Category | Restarter |
|---|---|
| Policy Framework Readiness | Moderate The new-build objective is not yet specific: the country has chosen a broad SMR direction, but not yet a reactor design, capacity, vendor, financing model, or firm delivery schedule. |
| Institutional & Infrastructure Readiness | High Armenia has a credible institutional base for continued operation and future nuclear development. Preparation would be needed for a first-of-a-kind licensing decision on whichever replacement technology is selected. |
| Programme & Project Development Readiness | Low-Moderate Armenia is maintaining existing nuclear capacity through life extension, but early in developing replacement capacity. |
| Target Achievability | Moderate Armenia would need to establish a clear project pipeline once a technology choice is made for new capacity, focused on delivery before the planned retirement of Metsamor 2. |
