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ACCIDENT SIMILAR TO FUKUSIMA-1 IMPOSSIBLE AT ARMENIAN NUCLEAR POWER PLANT
arminfo
Wednesday, April 20, 16:28
Armenian specialists launched a thorough analysis of the Armenian
NPP's safety in line with the recommendation of the world community
after the accident of Fukusima-1 NPP in Japan, Ashot Martirosyan,
Head of the Governmental State Committee for Nuclear Security, said
in a press conference in Yerevan on Wednesday.
He said the results of the analysis will be summed up in September
2011. IAEA experts are involved in the analysis and others from the
USA may join them later, Martirosyan said. The profound analysis
includes in it the study of the effects of external factors - natural
calamities. Martirosyan said that in the period from May 15 up to
June 1 a planned monitoring by the IAEA exert group is expected.
Martirosyan said that an accident like the one on Fukusima-1 is
impossible on the Armenian NPP because the technical safety of the
Armenian plant is different. Unlike Fukusima-1, the Armenian NPP is
a two- circuit power plant. As soon as the pressure and temperature
rose on Fukusima-1, the safety services had to let the radioactive gas
out. At the Armenian NPP gas release is possible from steam generators
with water and not from the reactor. In fact, no meltdown is possible,
Martirosyan said. There are 6 steam generators at the Armenian NPP
with a huge volume of cooling water and the plant can operate without
external and internal power supply within 6 hours and without cooling
water, he said.
He said that $120 million have been invested in safety upgrading of
the Armenian NPP since 1993. Another $20 million will be invested for
these purposes till 2016. The funds invested were mostly assistance
from the USA, EU and IAEA. The expected $20 million are donor funds
and insignificant allocations by the Armenian Government. Safety
upgrade measures are taken at the plant every year on donor funds.
It should be noted in September 2003 the Armenian NPP was transferred
under financial management of the Inter RJSC UES of Russia for 5 years
and in Sept 2008 the term was extended for another 5 years. Two power
units of Russian model pressurized water reactor-440, with capacity
of 815 megawatt in total have been installed at the Armenian NPP. The
first unit was put into exploitation in 1976, the second in 1980. At
the beginning of 1989, the plant was closed down for political ideas,
and then the second unit was reactivated because of acute energy
crisis at the beginning of 1995. The share of NPP is 40% of total
energy generation in the country.
From: A. Papazian
arminfo
Wednesday, April 20, 16:28
Armenian specialists launched a thorough analysis of the Armenian
NPP's safety in line with the recommendation of the world community
after the accident of Fukusima-1 NPP in Japan, Ashot Martirosyan,
Head of the Governmental State Committee for Nuclear Security, said
in a press conference in Yerevan on Wednesday.
He said the results of the analysis will be summed up in September
2011. IAEA experts are involved in the analysis and others from the
USA may join them later, Martirosyan said. The profound analysis
includes in it the study of the effects of external factors - natural
calamities. Martirosyan said that in the period from May 15 up to
June 1 a planned monitoring by the IAEA exert group is expected.
Martirosyan said that an accident like the one on Fukusima-1 is
impossible on the Armenian NPP because the technical safety of the
Armenian plant is different. Unlike Fukusima-1, the Armenian NPP is
a two- circuit power plant. As soon as the pressure and temperature
rose on Fukusima-1, the safety services had to let the radioactive gas
out. At the Armenian NPP gas release is possible from steam generators
with water and not from the reactor. In fact, no meltdown is possible,
Martirosyan said. There are 6 steam generators at the Armenian NPP
with a huge volume of cooling water and the plant can operate without
external and internal power supply within 6 hours and without cooling
water, he said.
He said that $120 million have been invested in safety upgrading of
the Armenian NPP since 1993. Another $20 million will be invested for
these purposes till 2016. The funds invested were mostly assistance
from the USA, EU and IAEA. The expected $20 million are donor funds
and insignificant allocations by the Armenian Government. Safety
upgrade measures are taken at the plant every year on donor funds.
It should be noted in September 2003 the Armenian NPP was transferred
under financial management of the Inter RJSC UES of Russia for 5 years
and in Sept 2008 the term was extended for another 5 years. Two power
units of Russian model pressurized water reactor-440, with capacity
of 815 megawatt in total have been installed at the Armenian NPP. The
first unit was put into exploitation in 1976, the second in 1980. At
the beginning of 1989, the plant was closed down for political ideas,
and then the second unit was reactivated because of acute energy
crisis at the beginning of 1995. The share of NPP is 40% of total
energy generation in the country.
From: A. Papazian