ARMENIAN DEPUTY MINISTER OF ENERGY: IT IS NOT RULED OUT THAT NEW NUCLEAR POWER PLANT WILL BE BUILT IN METSAMOR – IN OLD AREA

Noyan Tapan
March 19, 2008

YEREVAN, MARCH 19, NOYAN TAPAN. On the initiative of the Heinrich
Boll Foundation and with the assistance of Ecolur information NGO
of the RA National Academy of Sciences, a discussion on problems of
nuclear power development and safety was held on March 19. The work
"Nuclear Power: Myth and Reality" by Dr. Gerd Rosenkranz (Germany)
was presented at the discussion.

Accoridng to the author, taking into account the whole range of
nuclear power risks, it is necessary to give priority to development of
alternative options in the sphere of energy efficiency and renewable
energy.

The director of the Metsamor nuclear power plant Suren Azatian said
that nuclear power safety should alsways be the focus of attention
of experts and the society.

The RA deputy minister of energy Areg Galstian stated that development
of atomic energy is one of the fundamental principles of the energy
development strategy until 2025. He said that the document about
feasibility study on construction of new nuclear power units will
probably be ready by September or October 2008.

In his words, several possible scenarios will be considered: for a
unit with the capacity of up to 1000 megawatts. He pointed out that
the technical solutions to be proposed should be typical of Armenia’s
area in which these units will be built.

The deputy minister informed those present that main provisions
of the law on construction of a new nuclear power plant are now
being developed. According to him, it is most likely that the new
nuclear power plant will be built in Metsamor – in the area of the old
plant. A. Galstian said that as long ago as the late 1980s, studies
were conducted with the aim of constructing 3rd and 4th power units
in this area. "New studies will be conducted because the requirements
and standards have become stricter," the deputy minister said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress