AZERBAIJAN IS OPPOSED TO ARMENIA’S PARTICIPATION IN SINGLE ENERGY SYSTEM RUSSIA-AZERBAIJAN-IRAN FOR ECOLOGY REASONS

Azerbaijan Business Center
May 29 2009

Baku, Fineko/abc.az. Azerbaijan demands to exclude Armenia from a
project of parallel operation of energy systems of Russia, Azerbaijan
and Iran for reasons of ecological safety.

Marlen Askerov, vice president of Azerenerji OJSC (Azerbaijan’s energy
operator), says that last year Russia and Iran agreed on a scheme of
this project but the Azerbaijan party has some remarks to this work.

"They included Armenia in this scheme. But by signing the environment
route map we have obliged not to pass non-eco-friendly product through
our country. Armenian nuclear power plant, the major power producer
in this country, was built in the 80s and designed in the late 70s –
early 80s. Then a norm for engineering was 8-grade seismicity of the
region and today this level was increased up to 9 grades. Thus, the
Armenian plant does not conform to ecological requirements on seismic
activity. It is potentially ecologically dangerous for Azerbaijan,
Iran, Turkey and Georgia. We offer not to include Armenia in the
project until operation of this plant is stopped," Askerov said.