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RUSSIAN COMPANY DOES NOT WANT TO MANAGE ARMENIAN NUCLEAR POWER PLANT
Milaz.info
Nov 24 2011
Azerbaijan
The Russian company Inter RAO is dissatisfied with the terms of
governance of Armenia"s Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) and wishes to
terminate the agreement on operating the Metsamor based nuke plant,
the Russian paper Komersant reported.
"As an alternative it has proposed that the Rosatom State Nuclear
Energy Corporation is more interested in the construction of a new
energy block," the newspaper said. "However, it has more interest
in the construction of a new power block in Armenia, rather than the
management of the existing one."
"INTER RAO UES Holding is now negotiating with Armenia over the terms
of governance. Nuclear energy is a secondary activity for Inter-RAO,
that could entail sharply increase the risk factor," the source said,
adding that Inter-RAO and Rosatom are now conducting negotiations. The
Holding company refused making any official comment.
The Metsamor NPP was built in 1970. After the devastating Spitak
earthquake, the plant"s activity had been suspended, but in 1995
despite international protests, the work of the station was reactivated
and in addition, a second reactor was launched.
Given the large number of minor earthquakes in the past 10 years in
this area, as well as the intensification of seismic readings indicated
by seismologist research, in the case of a big accident taking place
at Metsamor, not only Armenia, but also all countries in the Southern
Caucasus and the Middle East would be seriously affected.
A source familiar with the situation said that Inter RAO and Rosatom
started negotiations on the possible transfer of Armenia"s Nuclear
Power Plant under the state corporation"s control. He said that Inter
RAO would like to give up managing the station (the company receives
a certain fixed amount), as soon as practicable.
But it is not clear whether Inter RAO will manage to agree with
Rosatom. A source in the state corporation said that the company is
not interested in managing the current block of Armenia"s Nuclear
Power Plant.
Firstly Rosatom deals with the project of building a new unit at
this station with the capacity of over 1 GW. Metsamorenergoatom
must construct a new unit in 2017 which will be a joint venture
of Atomstroyexport (the division of Rosatom that builds a nuclear
power plant abroad) and the Armenian Ministry of Economy and Natural
Resources. The investments in the project were previously estimated
at $4-5 billion. Rosatom also supplies fuel to Armenia"s Nuclear
Power Plant.
From: Baghdasarian
Milaz.info
Nov 24 2011
Azerbaijan
The Russian company Inter RAO is dissatisfied with the terms of
governance of Armenia"s Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) and wishes to
terminate the agreement on operating the Metsamor based nuke plant,
the Russian paper Komersant reported.
"As an alternative it has proposed that the Rosatom State Nuclear
Energy Corporation is more interested in the construction of a new
energy block," the newspaper said. "However, it has more interest
in the construction of a new power block in Armenia, rather than the
management of the existing one."
"INTER RAO UES Holding is now negotiating with Armenia over the terms
of governance. Nuclear energy is a secondary activity for Inter-RAO,
that could entail sharply increase the risk factor," the source said,
adding that Inter-RAO and Rosatom are now conducting negotiations. The
Holding company refused making any official comment.
The Metsamor NPP was built in 1970. After the devastating Spitak
earthquake, the plant"s activity had been suspended, but in 1995
despite international protests, the work of the station was reactivated
and in addition, a second reactor was launched.
Given the large number of minor earthquakes in the past 10 years in
this area, as well as the intensification of seismic readings indicated
by seismologist research, in the case of a big accident taking place
at Metsamor, not only Armenia, but also all countries in the Southern
Caucasus and the Middle East would be seriously affected.
A source familiar with the situation said that Inter RAO and Rosatom
started negotiations on the possible transfer of Armenia"s Nuclear
Power Plant under the state corporation"s control. He said that Inter
RAO would like to give up managing the station (the company receives
a certain fixed amount), as soon as practicable.
But it is not clear whether Inter RAO will manage to agree with
Rosatom. A source in the state corporation said that the company is
not interested in managing the current block of Armenia"s Nuclear
Power Plant.
Firstly Rosatom deals with the project of building a new unit at
this station with the capacity of over 1 GW. Metsamorenergoatom
must construct a new unit in 2017 which will be a joint venture
of Atomstroyexport (the division of Rosatom that builds a nuclear
power plant abroad) and the Armenian Ministry of Economy and Natural
Resources. The investments in the project were previously estimated
at $4-5 billion. Rosatom also supplies fuel to Armenia"s Nuclear
Power Plant.
From: Baghdasarian