The final meeting of the EU-funded project INSC/2024/436-156 “Nuclear Safety Regulatory Cooperation with the Armenian Regulator (ANRA)” was held in Yerevan. The meeting brought together representatives from ANRA, NRSC, the Government of the Republic of Armenia, and the international project consortium led by IDOM Consulting (Spain), with the participation of VTT (Finland), Bel V (Belgium), VUJE (Slovakia), and the Bulgarian Nuclear Regulatory Agency. Implemented from August 2024 to June 2026, the project aimed to strengthen Armenia’s nuclear and radiation safety regulatory framework, enhance regulatory review capabilities, and promote harmonisation with relevant Euratom Directives and WENRA Safety Reference Levels. During the meeting, participants reviewed the project’s key achievements and discussed the benefits, lessons learned, and opportunities for applying its results in future regulatory activities. The agenda was organised on a task-by-task basis. The respective task leaders presented project management, knowledge transfer, harmonisation of the Armenian regulatory framework with Euratom Directives and WENRA Levels, the review of Armenian NPP safety submissions, and activities related to radioactive waste management. The discussions highlighted the project’s significant contribution to strengthening Armenia’s regulatory infrastructure, enhancing the technical capabilities of ANRA and NRSC, and supporting the adoption of European and international good practices in nuclear and radiation safety regulation. The project has further strengthened cooperation between Armenian institutions and their European partners, providing a solid foundation for the national regulatory framework development and the implementation of the action plans and recommendations developed under the project.
A Technical Workshop was held in Armenia within the framework of the project “Nuclear Safety Regulatory Cooperation with the Armenian Regulator,” with the participation of experts from ANRA and NRSC, as well as the Consortium led by IDOM Consulting, Engineering, Architecture S.A.U. (Spain). The workshop aimed to review the progress of the ongoing projects, present the results of completed activities, and define next steps for implementation. During the event, participants presented and discussed action plans for the transposition of selected WENRA Safety Reference Levels and key Euratom Directives into Armenia’s legislative and regulatory framework. These included the Drinking Water Directive (Euratom 2013/51), the Basic Safety Standards (BSS) Directive (2013/59/Euratom), and Directive (2006/117/Euratom) on the supervision and control of shipments of radioactive waste and spent fuel. These approximation efforts are carried out in line with Armenia’s obligations under the EU–Armenia Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and the broader objective of systematically aligning national legislation with relevant EU requirements. In addition, the Consortium conducted and presented the results of a regulatory review of safety-related documentation, including the Level 2 Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA) for internal initiating events. The evaluation of seismic safety enhancement measures, the implementation of hydrogen passive autocatalytic recombiners, and the full-scope simulator were also presented and discussed in detail. The findings were reviewed jointly with ANRA and NRSC specialists, enabling in-depth technical exchange and clarification of key aspects related to safety improvements at the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant. The workshop contributed to strengthening the national regulatory framework, enhancing the technical expertise and analytical capacity of ANRA and NRSC specialists, and further aligning Armenia’s nuclear and radiation safety system with European and international standards.
