Nuclear energy is central to Armenia’s energy needs, as the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) generates a third of the country’s electricity. With the Metsamor NPP due to be decommissioned in 2036, Russia and the United States are open to building the next reactor in Armenia—with China and South Korea also under consideration. The decision will include technical considerations around cost, safety, and energy production, as well as geopolitical matters. Areg Danagoulian is Associate Professor of Nuclear Science and Engineering at MIT, whose research focuses on nuclear security and on applications of nuclear physics to societal problems. He discusses the current status of nuclear power, its global challenges, and its potential impact on Armenia’s energy security.

• Areg Danagoulian, Associate Professor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Zoom)
• Moderator: Davit Antonyan, Associate Fellow, APRI Armenia