MINISTRY OF ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES: ARMENIA WILL NOT EXPERIENCE FINANCIAL PROBLEMS WHEN BUILDING NEW NUCLEAR POWER UNIT
ArmInfo
2009-06-08 11:55:00
ArmInfo. Parliament of Armenia passed a bill On Construction of a
New Nuclear Power Unit in the second and final reading, Monday.
Armenia will not experience financial problems when building a new
1000- 1200 MW nuclear power unit, Minister of Energy and Natural
Resources Armen Movsisyan told parliamentarians. By preliminary
evaluation, the project will cost $4-5 billion, the minister said. The
minister said many countries and organizations are interested in
the project and conduct regular consultations with the Ministry. In
particular, Turkey and a number of other states are ready to co-
finance the project. Many states are ready to co-finance and to
participate in the construction, the minister said.
A. Movsisyan submitted a bill On construction of a new nuclear
power unit or power units to the parliament Tuesday. The bill
regulates the selection of construction site as well as seismic and
ecological security. A. Movsisyan said the document meets all the
international technical norms and the IAEA standards. Research showed
that construction of the new power unit in the area of the operating
NPP is the most optimal, the minister said. He mentioned that only
one power unit of 400 MW is currently operating at the NPP whereas
the area is designed for 1600 MW.
The problems of seismic and ecological safety are in the center of
the government’s attention and much funds will be allocated for this
purpose from the cost of the project, Movsisyan added.
He also said the new nuclear energy block is called not only to
fully satisfy local electric power demand of Armenia but also to
organize export.
The minister said, in particular that all the four neighboring states
of the region: Iran, Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan have electric
power deficit and are watched as potential buyers. The minister said
that today Armenia is actively working for integration in the energy
systems of the regional countries. In particular, they are going to
build the third Iran-Armenia power lines and the new Armenia-Georgia
power lines. "I am sure in the near future we shall start building
power lines with Turkey and this is envisaged by the contract of
Armenian electric power supply to this country’, – Movsisyan said.
It was reported earlier that construction of the new nuclear power
block will start by the end of 2010 – beginning of 2011. It will
start functioning in 2017 and at present functioning energy block
should be shut down.