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Secretary of Security Council: Armenia does not hurry to close down
Metsamor nuclear power plant
ARMINFO
Saturday, March 23, 15:26
Armenia does not hurry to close down the Metsamor NPP, Secretary of
the National Security Council of Armenia Artur Baghdasaryan told
media, Saturday. He said that Yerevan is negotiating with the EU and
Russia in the issue of a new power unit's construction and sooner
closing down of the plant is not in question so far, though the EU
keeps on insisting on it.
"Armenia cannot close down the Metsamor NPP until the issue of
alternative energy sources of Armenia is settled. The safety of the
NPP is being constantly upgraded and it is at a satisfactory level by
assessments of the IAEA. When the new power unit is ready, we will
study conservation of the operating power unit. In the European Union
they understand this position of Armenia," Baghdasaryan said.
Recently, Head of EU European Union Delegation to Armenia, Ambassador
Traian Hristea has said that the European Union goes on insisting on
closing of Armenian Nuclear Power Plant (ANPP). He said that Medzamor
nuclear power plant still remains in the focus of attention of the EU
policy and at present the EU shows financial assistance for ensuring
safe exploiting of the plant.
Earlier, Ashot Martirosyan, Head of the State Committee for Regulation
of the Nuclear Security of Armenia, told ArmInfo that the results of a
regular stress-test will be ready in Feb-Mar 2013 and will be
submitted to the EU till May.
Armenian NPP is located in Metsamor, some 30 kilometers south of
Yerevan. It was commissioned in 1980, but was closed following a
devastating earthquake in 1988. One of its two VVER 440 reactors was
reactivated in 1995 due to acute power crisis in Armenia.
Today only the second reactor with capacity of 407.5megawatt is in
operation. It provides from 40% to 50% of the overall energy
production in Armenia. According to experts, the NPP can operate till
2016. Armenian government approved extension of second power unit
operations on April 9, 2012.
Armenian Minister for Energy and Natural Resources Armen Movsisyan
noted that the license for the energy block expires on September 1,
2016, but it has been prolonged by 4 years. The new 1000MW power unit
will be built in the area of the Armenian NPP. By data of the
Ministry, the project will cost approximately 5 billion dollars. To
raise foreign capital for the project, the Parliament of Armenia
cancel the state monopoly on the nuclear power units in 2006.
From: Baghdasarian
Metsamor nuclear power plant
ARMINFO
Saturday, March 23, 15:26
Armenia does not hurry to close down the Metsamor NPP, Secretary of
the National Security Council of Armenia Artur Baghdasaryan told
media, Saturday. He said that Yerevan is negotiating with the EU and
Russia in the issue of a new power unit's construction and sooner
closing down of the plant is not in question so far, though the EU
keeps on insisting on it.
"Armenia cannot close down the Metsamor NPP until the issue of
alternative energy sources of Armenia is settled. The safety of the
NPP is being constantly upgraded and it is at a satisfactory level by
assessments of the IAEA. When the new power unit is ready, we will
study conservation of the operating power unit. In the European Union
they understand this position of Armenia," Baghdasaryan said.
Recently, Head of EU European Union Delegation to Armenia, Ambassador
Traian Hristea has said that the European Union goes on insisting on
closing of Armenian Nuclear Power Plant (ANPP). He said that Medzamor
nuclear power plant still remains in the focus of attention of the EU
policy and at present the EU shows financial assistance for ensuring
safe exploiting of the plant.
Earlier, Ashot Martirosyan, Head of the State Committee for Regulation
of the Nuclear Security of Armenia, told ArmInfo that the results of a
regular stress-test will be ready in Feb-Mar 2013 and will be
submitted to the EU till May.
Armenian NPP is located in Metsamor, some 30 kilometers south of
Yerevan. It was commissioned in 1980, but was closed following a
devastating earthquake in 1988. One of its two VVER 440 reactors was
reactivated in 1995 due to acute power crisis in Armenia.
Today only the second reactor with capacity of 407.5megawatt is in
operation. It provides from 40% to 50% of the overall energy
production in Armenia. According to experts, the NPP can operate till
2016. Armenian government approved extension of second power unit
operations on April 9, 2012.
Armenian Minister for Energy and Natural Resources Armen Movsisyan
noted that the license for the energy block expires on September 1,
2016, but it has been prolonged by 4 years. The new 1000MW power unit
will be built in the area of the Armenian NPP. By data of the
Ministry, the project will cost approximately 5 billion dollars. To
raise foreign capital for the project, the Parliament of Armenia
cancel the state monopoly on the nuclear power units in 2006.
From: Baghdasarian