TURKEY CONTINUES TO DEMAND ARMENIA SHUT DOWN METSAMOR NUCLEAR POWER PLANT

Tert.am
11:54 ~U 18.01.10

If the issue of the Metsamor nuclear power plant is not resolved
between Turkey and Armenia, in the case of a nuclear reactor accident,
there might be more disastrous consequences than what happened
in Chernobyl, said Istanbul Technical University Alumni Dr. Tayfun
Kindap, who, in 2008, conducted a study on the potential threats to
Turkey of such an accident. In Kindap’s opinion, the nuclear plant
has been constructed with outdated technologies and is located on an
area of seismic activity.

According to Kindap, in the case of a nuclear reactor accident at
Metsamor, it’s not only Armenia and Turkey, but also Europe that will
suffer the consequences.

"Europe understands that danger, and the European Union with that
purpose is going to shut down Armenia’s Metsamor NPP and they have
proposed 100 million Euro to look into new energy sources. However,
the negotiations didn’t lead to any results, since the nuclear power
plant secures 40% of Armenia’s energy needs and Armenia was demanding
800 million Euro.

"Armenia has to shut down Metsamor NPP and find another route to
secure its energy needs. Turkey can also work on that issue, since
we are located close to the nuclear power plant," said Kindap.

The Metsamor NPP was built during the 1970s and is located about thirty
kilometres west of the Armenian capital of Yerevan, and 16 km east
of the Turkish border. The plant, closed due to the 1988 Spitak (or,
Gyumri) earthquake in Armenia, was reopened in 1993 due to blockades
by Turkey and Azerbaijan, which created energy shortages in Armenia.

In December 2009, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Armenian
Service reported that the Armenian government aimed to create a
Russian-Armenian joint venture tasked with building a new nuclear
power station to replace Metsamor NPP.