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NUCLEAR POWER EXPERT DOWNPLAYS CONCERNS ABOUT SAFE OPERATION OF MESTAMOR NPP
/ARKA/
DECEMBER 6, 2011
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, December 6. /ARKA/. Adolf Birkhofer, the chairman of the
Nuclear Safety Advisory Group under the Armenian president, downplayed
today concerns of Armenia's neighbor countries that the nuclear power
plant in Mestamor poses an ecological threat to the region.
Speaking at a news conference after the 12th meeting of the
Advisory Group, Mr. Birkhofer (Germany) said such statements are made
regularly, but they are inconsistent with the true state of things at
the facility. He said such statements commonly target other nuclear
plants, including those in Germany. The expert noted that Armenia is
the first country where the president personally takes part in such
discussions devoted to nuclear power safety.
"He (President Sargsyan) is well aware of the outcome of our
discussions concerning the safety situation at the NPP," he added.
Speaking about the level of NPP staff preparedness, Birkhofer
highlighted that they have regular trainings both at the plant and
outside the country, organized by the World Association of Nuclear
Plants.
The executive secretary of the Advisory Group, Vahram Petrosyan,
said more than 1,200 measures have been taken to enhance the safety
of the facility at the demand of the UN's International Atomic Energy
Agency since the plant was relaunched in 1995.
President Sargsyan spoke at the 12th session of the Advisory Group
about the prospects of nuclear energy power in the country. The NPP's
director Gagik Markosyan spoke about what is being done to improve
its safe operation.
The Advisory Group was set up in 1996. Its main objective is to help
improve the safe operation of the facility.
The Armenian Metsamor nuclear power plant is located some 30 kilometers
west of Yerevan. It was built in the 1970s but was closed following
a devastating earthquake in 1988. One of its two VVER 440-V230
light-water reactors was reactivated in 1995.
Armenian authorities said they will build a new nuclear power plant
to replace the aging facility. The new plant is supposed to operate
at twice the capacity of the Soviet-constructed facility. Metsamor
currently generates some 40 percent of Armenia's electricity. But
the government has yet to attract funding for the project that was
estimated by a U.S.-funded feasibility study to cost at as much as
$5 billion. Under a 2003 agreement Armenian nuclear power plant's
financial flows are managed by Russian Inter RAO UES, owned by Russian
state-run Rosatom corporation.
The agreement expires in 2013. In 2010 Russia and Armenia signed an
agreement on cooperation in nuclear energy sphere whereby Russia
committed to assume 20% of all expenses. The Armenian government
will cover another 20% and the remaining part is supposed to come
from investors.
/ARKA/
DECEMBER 6, 2011
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, December 6. /ARKA/. Adolf Birkhofer, the chairman of the
Nuclear Safety Advisory Group under the Armenian president, downplayed
today concerns of Armenia's neighbor countries that the nuclear power
plant in Mestamor poses an ecological threat to the region.
Speaking at a news conference after the 12th meeting of the
Advisory Group, Mr. Birkhofer (Germany) said such statements are made
regularly, but they are inconsistent with the true state of things at
the facility. He said such statements commonly target other nuclear
plants, including those in Germany. The expert noted that Armenia is
the first country where the president personally takes part in such
discussions devoted to nuclear power safety.
"He (President Sargsyan) is well aware of the outcome of our
discussions concerning the safety situation at the NPP," he added.
Speaking about the level of NPP staff preparedness, Birkhofer
highlighted that they have regular trainings both at the plant and
outside the country, organized by the World Association of Nuclear
Plants.
The executive secretary of the Advisory Group, Vahram Petrosyan,
said more than 1,200 measures have been taken to enhance the safety
of the facility at the demand of the UN's International Atomic Energy
Agency since the plant was relaunched in 1995.
President Sargsyan spoke at the 12th session of the Advisory Group
about the prospects of nuclear energy power in the country. The NPP's
director Gagik Markosyan spoke about what is being done to improve
its safe operation.
The Advisory Group was set up in 1996. Its main objective is to help
improve the safe operation of the facility.
The Armenian Metsamor nuclear power plant is located some 30 kilometers
west of Yerevan. It was built in the 1970s but was closed following
a devastating earthquake in 1988. One of its two VVER 440-V230
light-water reactors was reactivated in 1995.
Armenian authorities said they will build a new nuclear power plant
to replace the aging facility. The new plant is supposed to operate
at twice the capacity of the Soviet-constructed facility. Metsamor
currently generates some 40 percent of Armenia's electricity. But
the government has yet to attract funding for the project that was
estimated by a U.S.-funded feasibility study to cost at as much as
$5 billion. Under a 2003 agreement Armenian nuclear power plant's
financial flows are managed by Russian Inter RAO UES, owned by Russian
state-run Rosatom corporation.
The agreement expires in 2013. In 2010 Russia and Armenia signed an
agreement on cooperation in nuclear energy sphere whereby Russia
committed to assume 20% of all expenses. The Armenian government
will cover another 20% and the remaining part is supposed to come
from investors.