ARMENIA’S NUCLEAR POWER PLANT RE-LAUNCHED AFTER MAINTENANCE

Prime-Tass English-language Business Newswire
November 15, 2006 Wednesday 2:02 PM EET

The Armenian Nuclear Power Plant has been re-launched after maintenance
and refueling, Lusine Arutyunyan, a representative of Armenia’s Energy
Ministry, told ITAR-TASS Wednesday.

The maintenance was finished three days ahead of the 45-day schedule,
Arutyunyan said.

The 440-megawatt power plant accounts for 40% of all electric power
produced in Armenia.

In 2003, Russia’s electric power monopoly UES took over financial
management of the power plant.

The E.U. has requested the closure of the power plant. However,
Armenia’s government says that is only possible if the country has
alternative electric power sources.

The country is considering building a new nuclear power plant but
lacks the U.S. $800 million necessary for the project, Armenia’s
Energy Minister Armen Movsesyan said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress