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Armenia: Feasibility Study for New Nuclear Plant Complete – Public TV
Posted on: Saturday, 27 September 2008, 09:00 CDT
Excerpt from report by state-owned Armenian Public TV on 24 September
[Presenter] The preparatory works for building a new nuclear power
plant in Armenia are on schedule. The feasibility study conducted with
the help of the USAID is over and was presented to the public
today. The new generation station, according to the minister of energy
and natural resources, is to be of a better quality, work on less fuel
but be more effective.
[Correspondent] A 30-page package is on the table of the Armenian
energy specialists. The feasibility study of the Armenian Nuclear
Power Plant’s new block is ready. The study has been conducted by the
PA Consulting Group. The projected size of the station is 1,000- 1,200
Megawatts; the cost will be consistent with today’s prices.
[Armen Arzumanyan, head of the PA Consulting Group, addressing the
audience] Currently, [the cost] is somewhere between 5.2bn and 7.2bn
dollars.
[Passage omitted: Correspondent says the construction of the plant
would cost cheaper if funded by the government].
[Armen Movsisyan, the minister of energy and natural resources] We are
planning to hold a tender for an international consultant by the end
of the year. The consultant should be very experienced in the field
and have participated in at least two such projects in the past 10
years.
[Passage omitted: Correspondent says an environmental study will be
carried out as well.]
[Correspondent] The new reactor will be three times as powerful as the
one currently in operation. The newly appointed US ambassador to our
country, Marie Yovanovich, was also attending the meeting.
[Marie Yovanovich, addressing the audience, in English with Armenian
voice-over translation] This study of the new nuclear power plant is
an additional security guarantee for the Armenian people, a new
possibility for an energy role in the region.
Originally published by Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan, in
Armenian 1600 24 Sep 08.
(c) 2008 BBC Monitoring Central Asia. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All
rights Reserved.
Source: BBC Monitoring Central Asia