Azerbaijan Says It Can Supply Electricity to Armenia, Focus on Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant Decommissioning Replacement

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said on August 12 that Azerbaijan could supply electricity to Armenia. He also stated that Armenia cannot indefinitely extend the operating lifetime of the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant.

The Armenian government has not yet responded to this proposal, nor has it indicated whether it would consider importing electricity from Azerbaijan. As signs of easing relations between the two countries emerge, the possibility of cross-border transportation and energy infrastructure development is being revisited.

Armenia has long relied on Russia and Iran for its energy security. Currently, the country is studying proposals from companies in the United States, Russia, China, France, and South Korea to build a new nuclear reactor to replace the Soviet-era Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant.

In an interview, Aliyev stated that as part of a project to connect Azerbaijan's power grid to the Nakhchivan exclave via Armenia, Azerbaijani experts have conducted preliminary studies on the condition of transmission lines within Armenian territory and have identified potential locations for new transmission towers.

He noted that the nuclear power plant is currently one of Armenia's primary energy sources. If this power source were to be shut down, Armenia could face significant energy supply pressure. Aliyev stated that finding alternative electricity sources is in Armenia's own interest.