WIND WAS BLOWING TOWARDS TURKEY DURING EXERCISES AT ARMENIAN NPP

Yerevan, July 26. ArmInfo. Exercises were launched today in Yerevan
on the subject "Reaction to General Accident at the Armenian Nuclear
Power Plant".

As the Head of the Department of Emergency Situations, Mayor-General
Eduard Barseghyan told the journalists today, the purpose of exercises
was to check and improve the skills of bodies of the State Department
and local government for organization of the population protection
during nuclear and radiation catastrophes. Representatives of 13
Ministries and Departments from Yerevan, Armavir, Aragats and Ararat
regions of Armenia, including the whole DES staff of 3000 employees,
as well as civil agents will participate in exercises to last on
July 27 in Armavir region, during which the population evacuation
will be developed.

An emergency situation at the ANPP was simulated during the enlarged
session of DES. Because of strong winds, the high-voltage power
transmission lines were disabled and standby diesel generators
were actuated. Water temperature increase in the primary circuit
caused metal fusion on the NPP containment. Atmospheric emission of
some million curie happened. The monitoring group has studied the
atmospheric emission.

Notification of population and prevention of panic were developed,
first of all, during today’s exercises. During the simulated emergency
situation at NPP, the wind was blowing towards Turkey.