Experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and other organizations will visit Armenia from August 2-6 to examine a platform for the construction of a nuclear power unit, anArmenian State Nuclear Regulatory Committee chairman said.
Armenia plans to begin building the new nuclear power unit, with a capacity of 1000WT, in 2011. The cost of the project could reach $5 billion. The unit is expected to be operational by 2017, when the unit currently in service will be shut down.
Ashot Martirosyan said that results of studies on the construction, carried out by Armenian experts over several years, will be shown to the IAEA experts.
The experts will make an official statement after studying the materials, he said.
Martirosyan said a previous statement concluded that the current unit is operating safely and is under constant monitoring from Armenian and international organizations.
He added that a joint Russian-Armenian enterprise would conduct research to find out if Armenia has any uranium reserves.
Experts say Armenia's uranium reserves could amount to between 30,000 and 60,000 metric tons.
YEREVAN, July 29 (RIA Novosti)
