ENERGY SAFETY DISCUSSED

YEREVAN, APRIL 16, ARMENPRESS: A presidential nuclear power
safetycouncil held its regular meeting today in Yerevan. The council
is an advisory body affiliated with the Armenian president. It is
composed of eminent experts in the field. Established by a 1996 decree
of Armenian president its aim is to ensure safe operation of Armenian
nuclear power plant.

During the meeting, the president underlined the key importance
ofsafe energy for all economic projects, Armenian president press
services reported. He therefore attached importance to new, systemic
approaches in energy reform.

Kocharian noted that a series of programs have already been carried
out with the assistance of IAEA to raise the plant’s safety. “We are
sure that a real energy safety can be attained through many-sided
cooperation in the field and we are thankful for your effective
assistance,” the president said, addressing the chairman of nuclear
power safety council, the head of GermanNuclear Safety Institute Adolf
Berkhoffer, who in turn expressed his satisfaction with the current
level of the plant’s work . He noted that the Armenian nuclear power
plant worked smoothly last year without any incidents reported, an
indication of stable technical safety system.