EU REPEATS CALL FOR ARMENIA TO CLOSE POWER STATION
By M. Alkhazashvili
The Messenger
June 10 2008
Georgia
The EU repeated an offer last week to provide financial support to
the Armenian government in shutting down the Metsamor nuclear reactor.
Hugues Mingarelli, the deputy head of the European Commission’s
Directorate-General for External Relations, said the EU would provide
EUR 100 million to help close the plant down when he visited Yerevan
last week.
"Armenia should search for alternative energy sources. We understand
that it’s not an easy decision but the [Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant]
is outdated and represents a danger for the country and the entire
region. The EU can also help Armenia with diversification of energy
sources," Armenian news agency PanArmenian quoted him as saying.
Metsamor provides around 40 percent of Armenia’s electricity. In recent
years Yerevan has been under pressure from the EU to close the power
station down as soon as possible, due to safety concerns over its
lack of a containment system to deal with potential radioactive leaks.
Last month officials from the Russian company INTER RAO UES, which
manages the plant, said they would continue managing it after their
initial contract expires later this year. They also said INTER RAO
plans to build a replacement plant.