Senior officials from Armenia recently attended a virtual IAEA seminar to assist the country in bringing its national nuclear legal framework in line with the relevant international legal instruments on nuclear safety, security, safeguards and civil liability for nuclear damage.
“Armenia is already party to all the main instruments on nuclear safety and security adopted under the auspices of the IAEA. This seminar will provide an opportunity to discuss those instruments and those that the country is not yet party to, such as the modernised nuclear liability instruments,” said Wolfram Tonhauser, Head of the IAEA’s Nuclear and Treaty Law Section, in the opening of the virtual seminar held in January. “It will also facilitate discussions on the needed implementing legislation, with a focus on the elements of comprehensive national legislation governing the safe, secure and peaceful uses of nuclear energy.”
Organized at the request of the Government of Armenia, senior officials from the Armenian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (ANRA) Nuclear and Radiation Support Centre engaged actively in the discussions about all the components of a comprehensive nuclear legal framework. “Recognizing the current gaps in the national nuclear legal framework, these discussions will help inform our process of undertaking a comprehensive legislative review and the path towards achieving our goal of revising the Atomic Law, while benefitting from further legislative assistance from the Agency,” said Arshaluys Karmirmirukyan of ANRA.
The Armenian Nuclear Power Plant (ANPP), also referred to as METSAMOR NPP, provides about one third of domestic electricity. Lifetime extension activities are underway at Unit 2 to extend its operations through 2026. ANPP’s Unit 1 was permanently shut down in 1989.
This virtual national seminar was implemented within the framework of the IAEA legislative assistance programme under the Technical Cooperation project, “Enhancing National Legal Frameworks in European Member States”.
Recognizing the current gaps in the national nuclear legal framework, these discussions will help inform our process of undertaking a comprehensive legislative review and the path towards achieving our goal of revising the Atomic Law, while benefitting from further legislative assistance from the Agency.
