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Nuclear and radiation safety Armenia's state priority
By Tigran Liloyan
ITAR-TASS News Agency
December 6, 2004 Monday 1:42 PM Eastern Time
YEREVAN, December 6 -- The nuclear and radiation safety is now among
Armenia's state priorities. This is defined by amendments to the
republic's law On Safe Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy that was passed
by Armenian parliament and was signed by President Robert Kocharyan
on Monday, Tass learned from the Armenian president's press service.
The Armenian legislation is amended to bring it in accordance with
the safety standards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Under the law, only the republic's citizens can assume the posts that
entail responsibility for the safe functioning of nuclear facilities.
The law requires the tightening of control over nuclear materials and
protection of nuclear power plants. The law on insolvency (bankruptcy)
does not apply to the Armenian nuclear power plant.
The nuclear power plant that went into operation in 1979 was shut
down in 1989, several months after the devastative earthquake. The
plant was reactivated with the participation of Russian specialists
in 1996, and industrial operation of the second reactor was resumed.
Electricity generated by the nuclear power plant now accounts for 38
percent of Armenia's energy balance. The European Union demands that
Armenia shut down the plant. The Armenian authorities believe this
could be possible only if there were alternative sources of energy.
>>From last year, the management of the financial and economic activity
of the nuclear power plant went to InterRAO UES, the subsidiary of
RAO UES, the Unified Energy Systems of Russia.
By Tigran Liloyan
ITAR-TASS News Agency
December 6, 2004 Monday 1:42 PM Eastern Time
YEREVAN, December 6 -- The nuclear and radiation safety is now among
Armenia's state priorities. This is defined by amendments to the
republic's law On Safe Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy that was passed
by Armenian parliament and was signed by President Robert Kocharyan
on Monday, Tass learned from the Armenian president's press service.
The Armenian legislation is amended to bring it in accordance with
the safety standards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Under the law, only the republic's citizens can assume the posts that
entail responsibility for the safe functioning of nuclear facilities.
The law requires the tightening of control over nuclear materials and
protection of nuclear power plants. The law on insolvency (bankruptcy)
does not apply to the Armenian nuclear power plant.
The nuclear power plant that went into operation in 1979 was shut
down in 1989, several months after the devastative earthquake. The
plant was reactivated with the participation of Russian specialists
in 1996, and industrial operation of the second reactor was resumed.
Electricity generated by the nuclear power plant now accounts for 38
percent of Armenia's energy balance. The European Union demands that
Armenia shut down the plant. The Armenian authorities believe this
could be possible only if there were alternative sources of energy.
>>From last year, the management of the financial and economic activity
of the nuclear power plant went to InterRAO UES, the subsidiary of
RAO UES, the Unified Energy Systems of Russia.