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Armenia looking for alternative sources of energy to close nuclear plant
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
10 Dec 04
[Presenter] The European Union is helping Armenia create the necessary
conditions for the closure of the Metsamor nuclear power
plant. Armenia has to provide itself with alternative sources of
energy before the closure of the power plant. However, it is not easy
to preserve security in this sphere as there are no gas reservoirs in
the country.
The programme on upgrading the Abovyan gas reservoirs is estimated at
27m dollars. It is planned to allocate these funds as a credit within
the framework of the European Union's TACIS programme.
[Correspondent] The programme on creating a system of safe natural gas
supplies within the planned closure of the Metsamor nuclear power
plant envisages first of all the replacement of obsolete equipment at
the Abovyan underground gas reservoirs. A total of 50 new pieces of
equipment have already been installed at three underground gas
reservoirs.
[Passage omitted: minor details]
[Ashot Hovsepyan, deputy executive director of the AyRusgasard gas
company] The aim is to increase the number of such stations and
provide all of Armenia with such stations within one or two years. The
Iran-Armenia gas pipeline will also be involved in the system.
[Correspondent] Successful first steps have been taken to establish a
safe system of natural gas supplies. The final aim in spending
millions of euros is to close down the nuclear power plant. However,
the main condition for closing down the power plant is to find
alternative sources of energy.
[Areg Galstyan, Deputy Energy Minister] Natural gas is the most
important source of energy for us, because the country's heating
system is based on natural gas.
[Karen Karapetyan, executive director of AyRusgasard gas company] We
have to do this work irrespective of the existence of the nuclear
power plant.
[Passage omitted: Repeating the same ideas]
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
10 Dec 04
[Presenter] The European Union is helping Armenia create the necessary
conditions for the closure of the Metsamor nuclear power
plant. Armenia has to provide itself with alternative sources of
energy before the closure of the power plant. However, it is not easy
to preserve security in this sphere as there are no gas reservoirs in
the country.
The programme on upgrading the Abovyan gas reservoirs is estimated at
27m dollars. It is planned to allocate these funds as a credit within
the framework of the European Union's TACIS programme.
[Correspondent] The programme on creating a system of safe natural gas
supplies within the planned closure of the Metsamor nuclear power
plant envisages first of all the replacement of obsolete equipment at
the Abovyan underground gas reservoirs. A total of 50 new pieces of
equipment have already been installed at three underground gas
reservoirs.
[Passage omitted: minor details]
[Ashot Hovsepyan, deputy executive director of the AyRusgasard gas
company] The aim is to increase the number of such stations and
provide all of Armenia with such stations within one or two years. The
Iran-Armenia gas pipeline will also be involved in the system.
[Correspondent] Successful first steps have been taken to establish a
safe system of natural gas supplies. The final aim in spending
millions of euros is to close down the nuclear power plant. However,
the main condition for closing down the power plant is to find
alternative sources of energy.
[Areg Galstyan, Deputy Energy Minister] Natural gas is the most
important source of energy for us, because the country's heating
system is based on natural gas.
[Karen Karapetyan, executive director of AyRusgasard gas company] We
have to do this work irrespective of the existence of the nuclear
power plant.
[Passage omitted: Repeating the same ideas]