Anatolia News Agency, Turkey
May 11, 2007 Friday
TURKEY SETS UP MONITORING AGAINST POSSIBLE NUCLEAR DANGERS FROM
ARMENIAN POWER PLANT
Ankara, 11 May: Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Hilmi
Guler stated that Turkey established a "Radiation Early Warning
System Network (RESA)" against probable dangers that may arise from
the Metsamor nuclear power plant located in Armenia.
"Results of the radioactivity analyses and station measuring
conducted in provinces close to the nuclear plant were within natural
limits so far," stressed Guler.
In his reply to a motion with question, Guler noted that the regions
that may be harmed in case of an accident at the Metsamor nuclear
power plant were determined in accordance with international
standards and experiences.
Underscoring that RESA was established taking into consideration the
locations and meteorological conditions of the nuclear power plants
in neighbouring countries, Guler said the system ran for 24 hours
continuously and checked the radiation levels via 78 stations.
"When the increase in the gamma radiation in the air exceeds the
threshold, the system warns the Turkish Atomic Energy Authority’s
(TAEK) crisis centre in Ankara automatically," said Guler.
"Closure of the reactor is not possible"
Moreover, Guler stressed that closure of the reactors in Armenia was
not possible in line with the convention on nuclear safety, which is
the only international platform related to the safety of nuclear
power plants.
Guler said Armenia could only be warned to carry out more-serious and
rapid activities in order to improve the safety of reactors.