ARMENIAN LEADER OPENS INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON NUCLEAR POWER

Public Television of Armenia
May 26 2009

[Presenter-read report] The forth international scientific conference
on the topic of nuclear power and energy security opened today in
Yerevan. Directors Samvel Apikyan and David Dimond ascribed importance
to the use of nuclear power in the energy sphere, noting that it has
no alternative at least in the coming decade. Armenian President [Serzh
Sargsyan] welcomed the initiative in an address to participants of the
scientific conference. Sargsyan said that challenges of nuclear power
sphere are in the centre of attention of Armenia’s authorities. The
president also ascribed importance to the construction of a new power
unit of the [Armenia’s] nuclear power plant. The deputy minister of
energy and natural resources, Areg Galstyan, said that there are
numerous organizational issues before starting the construction
of the new block – feasibility studies should be accomplished and
construction will start after that.

[Samvel Apikyan, a director of the conference, speaking to journalists]
We hope that we will have co-investors- companies and countries,
which that we want to be with us.

[A correspondent speaking to Apikyan] Which are those?

[Apikyan speaking to journalists] At this moment, of course,
our Russian partners, our European partners, and we hope American
companies will take part.

[Areg Galstyan speaking to journalists] It is nuclear power engineering
for the coming decades. There will be other technologies in decades
– let’s say hydrogen, which will essentially solve issues. However,
at present the only alternative is nuclear power engineering – and
in particular for Armenia, which has limited resources.