ARMENIAN NPP TO BE RESTARTED ON OCTOBER 4, 2004
YEREVAN, AUGUST 25. ARMINFO. The Armenian NPP, which is not operative
now, is to be connected to the energy system on October 4, 2004, RA
Minister of Energy Armen Movsisyan told reporters.
The NPP was shut down for maintenance repairs and re-fueling on July
31. The Minister pointed out that the work has been done 45-50 per
cent, and monitoring shows that it will be completed within 64
days. He added that fuel has for the first time been supplied on time
since 1995. The reactor is being repaired on the NPP’s internal
funds. Specialists of the Czech “Skoda” company are now testing the
strength of the metal case of the reactor in conformity with
international standards and technical requirements of the IAEA. This
work is to be completed within 5-6 days. To enhance the safety,
specialists intend to install 37 electro-gas circuit breakers. A
computer system will also be installed to register all the parameters
of the reactor, which will be filed for post-accident analysis.
In 2003, the NPP generated a total of 1.9bln. kw/h of energy, 36% of
the total energy output in Armenia. Last September, the NPP was
transferred to the management of the “Inter RAO EES” CJSC, a
subsidiary of the RAO “EES Rossii.”