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PACE DISCUSSES ARMENIA'S METSAMOR
AzerNews, Azerbaijan
April 9 2014
9 April 2014, 10:14 (GMT+05:00)
By Sara Rajabova
Chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe
Sebastian Kurz has responded the question of the Azerbaijani MP's
question during spring session of the PACE.
Member of the Azerbaijani delegation to the PACE Rafael Huseynov
addressed a question about Armenia's out-of-date Metsamor nuclear
power plant.
Metsamor is one of the few remnants of the old Soviet nuclear reactors
built without primary containment structures. Only a few of these
first generation water-moderated reactors are still in use today,
being past or near their original retirement ages, but what sets the
Metsamor nuclear power plant apart from all the others is the fact
that it's located in a potentially hazardous seismic zone.
Huseynov said since 2001, the issues on stopping operation of Metsamor
nuclear power plant, working with out-of-date technologies and situated
in active seismic zone were raised repeatedly and the power plant
underwent several failures.
He noted that several times different documents were prepared and
addresses were made personally by him on this real danger. "But there
are still no results. Taking increased tendency of earthquakes in the
region into consideration, the experts think probability of terrifying
accident in the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant is inevitable," Huseynov
underlined.
Huseynov said in case of accident including, not only people from
Armenia but also millions of people from Georgia, Azerbaijan, and
Turkey, as well as other neighbor states some European countries will
become victims of this nuclear tragedy.
He asked what preventive and concrete measures can be taken on this
terrible problem as soon as possible.
Responding to the question, Kurz, who is also Austrian Foreign, said
the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe is not engaged
on nuclear energy issues.
"So I will answer your question as the Foreign Minister of Austria.
The recent events have shown that nuclear centers are not so safe. In
this connection, I understand your concern. For example, in my country
we've decided to abandon nuclear centers and we are concerned of the
safety regulations of nuclear centers near to us. Now we mainly focus
on new energy sources. We hope that in the future, Europe as a whole
will not use nuclear energy," Kurz said.
Metsamor NPP was built in 1970. After the devastating earthquake
in Spitak in 1988 it was closed, but in 1995, the operation of
the station was resumed and a second reactor was launched despite
international criticism.
The lifespan of Metsamor expired in 2010, but Armenia and IAEA experts
have agreed to continue the operation of the plant until 2016.
The nuclear power plant poses a serious threat to the security of
the entire region, especially to the neighboring countries - Turkey,
Georgia and Azerbaijan. Therefore, the three countries demand immediate
shutdown of the plant in view of the danger.
According to environmentalists and scientists from all over the region,
seismic activity in the area renders Metsamor nuclear plant an extreme
risk even if a new generation reactor were to be built. Given the
large number of minor earthquakes in the area in the last ten years,
as well as the intensification of the seismic processes, scientists
predict that in the event of a major accident at Metsamor, not only
Armenia, but also other countries of the South Caucasus and Middle
East states would be severely affected.
From: Baghdasarian
AzerNews, Azerbaijan
April 9 2014
9 April 2014, 10:14 (GMT+05:00)
By Sara Rajabova
Chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe
Sebastian Kurz has responded the question of the Azerbaijani MP's
question during spring session of the PACE.
Member of the Azerbaijani delegation to the PACE Rafael Huseynov
addressed a question about Armenia's out-of-date Metsamor nuclear
power plant.
Metsamor is one of the few remnants of the old Soviet nuclear reactors
built without primary containment structures. Only a few of these
first generation water-moderated reactors are still in use today,
being past or near their original retirement ages, but what sets the
Metsamor nuclear power plant apart from all the others is the fact
that it's located in a potentially hazardous seismic zone.
Huseynov said since 2001, the issues on stopping operation of Metsamor
nuclear power plant, working with out-of-date technologies and situated
in active seismic zone were raised repeatedly and the power plant
underwent several failures.
He noted that several times different documents were prepared and
addresses were made personally by him on this real danger. "But there
are still no results. Taking increased tendency of earthquakes in the
region into consideration, the experts think probability of terrifying
accident in the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant is inevitable," Huseynov
underlined.
Huseynov said in case of accident including, not only people from
Armenia but also millions of people from Georgia, Azerbaijan, and
Turkey, as well as other neighbor states some European countries will
become victims of this nuclear tragedy.
He asked what preventive and concrete measures can be taken on this
terrible problem as soon as possible.
Responding to the question, Kurz, who is also Austrian Foreign, said
the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe is not engaged
on nuclear energy issues.
"So I will answer your question as the Foreign Minister of Austria.
The recent events have shown that nuclear centers are not so safe. In
this connection, I understand your concern. For example, in my country
we've decided to abandon nuclear centers and we are concerned of the
safety regulations of nuclear centers near to us. Now we mainly focus
on new energy sources. We hope that in the future, Europe as a whole
will not use nuclear energy," Kurz said.
Metsamor NPP was built in 1970. After the devastating earthquake
in Spitak in 1988 it was closed, but in 1995, the operation of
the station was resumed and a second reactor was launched despite
international criticism.
The lifespan of Metsamor expired in 2010, but Armenia and IAEA experts
have agreed to continue the operation of the plant until 2016.
The nuclear power plant poses a serious threat to the security of
the entire region, especially to the neighboring countries - Turkey,
Georgia and Azerbaijan. Therefore, the three countries demand immediate
shutdown of the plant in view of the danger.
According to environmentalists and scientists from all over the region,
seismic activity in the area renders Metsamor nuclear plant an extreme
risk even if a new generation reactor were to be built. Given the
large number of minor earthquakes in the area in the last ten years,
as well as the intensification of the seismic processes, scientists
predict that in the event of a major accident at Metsamor, not only
Armenia, but also other countries of the South Caucasus and Middle
East states would be severely affected.
From: Baghdasarian