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Trend Daily News (Azerbaijan)
June 16, 2011 Thursday 6:40 PM GMT +4
Expert: Economic problems to occur while constructing new Armenian
nuclear power plant
Azerbaijan, Baku, June 16 / Trend E. Tariverdiyeva /
There will be a number of economic problems while constructing a new
Armenian nuclear power plant (NPP), scheduled for 2012-2013, a Russian
source, an expert-nuclear scholar, who worked for 20 years in the
nuclear field said.
"The second operating unit of the Armenian NPP must be closed until
2016," the expert told Trend.
"According to the decision of the G8, more stringent test standards
test must be established. They must apply to the Armenian NPP, and
Russia supports the decision of G8."
This decision was taken before the accident at "Fukushima-1", the
first units of which were also old, he said. The Metsamor NPP was
built in 1970.
After the devastating Spitak earthquake the activity of this plant had
been suspended, but in 1995, despite international protests, the work
of the station was reactivated, and in addition, the second reactor
was launched.
Given the large number of minor earthquakes in the past 10 years in
this area, a disaster would hurt the entire South Caucasus and the
Middle East would be seriously affected.
Several European countries have adopted a plan of abandoning nuclear
energy amid the nuclear crisis in Japan, where a large-scale accident
occurred at the nuclear power plant "Fukushima-1 after a devastating
earthquake and tsunami on March 11.
The accident at the nuclear power plant "Fukushima" in Japan can not
lead to Armenia's denial from the project of building a new nuclear
unit at the Armenian nuclear power plant, Minister of Energy and
Natural Resources Armen Movsisyan said in an interview with
"Interfax".
"At present, Armenia has no alternative to building a new nuclear
power station. It is planned to begin constructing in the second half
of 2012-2013. The Minister expressed hope that a new nuclear power
unit will be built by 2017.
It was earlier reported that in late April, Chairman of the State
Committee on Nuclear Safety Regulation under the Armenian government
Ashot Martirosyan said that the construction project of a new nuclear
power was temporarily frozen. "All the issues relating to the
construction of a new nuclear power plant in Armenia were temporarily
frozen," he said.
The expert said that the security requirements are also tightened to
build a new nuclear power plant.
The Russian design standards correspond to the highest international
standards. Of course, all the necessary procedures must be carried out
and have a positive result when making decisions about the
construction, the expert said.
"I think that this problem can be reasonably resolved, but there is an
economic problem," he said.
A source said that it is necessary to build two units of the nuclear
power plant for reliable energy supply.
"One should periodically stop the stations for prophylactic repair.
However, the power of almost 2.5 GW is clearly abundant for Armenia.
About 1.5 GW of installed capacity would be sufficient even in the
long-term-prospect. I do not know whether the opportunity of selling
excess electricity were calculated."
Of course, there is an open question who can act as a guarantor on the
possible nuclear damage, the expert said.
"A joint campaign and Armenia are unlikely to be such a guarantee," he
said. "Russia? But it is not clear whether there is a document
obliging it to do it."
June 16, 2011 Thursday 6:40 PM GMT +4
Expert: Economic problems to occur while constructing new Armenian
nuclear power plant
Azerbaijan, Baku, June 16 / Trend E. Tariverdiyeva /
There will be a number of economic problems while constructing a new
Armenian nuclear power plant (NPP), scheduled for 2012-2013, a Russian
source, an expert-nuclear scholar, who worked for 20 years in the
nuclear field said.
"The second operating unit of the Armenian NPP must be closed until
2016," the expert told Trend.
"According to the decision of the G8, more stringent test standards
test must be established. They must apply to the Armenian NPP, and
Russia supports the decision of G8."
This decision was taken before the accident at "Fukushima-1", the
first units of which were also old, he said. The Metsamor NPP was
built in 1970.
After the devastating Spitak earthquake the activity of this plant had
been suspended, but in 1995, despite international protests, the work
of the station was reactivated, and in addition, the second reactor
was launched.
Given the large number of minor earthquakes in the past 10 years in
this area, a disaster would hurt the entire South Caucasus and the
Middle East would be seriously affected.
Several European countries have adopted a plan of abandoning nuclear
energy amid the nuclear crisis in Japan, where a large-scale accident
occurred at the nuclear power plant "Fukushima-1 after a devastating
earthquake and tsunami on March 11.
The accident at the nuclear power plant "Fukushima" in Japan can not
lead to Armenia's denial from the project of building a new nuclear
unit at the Armenian nuclear power plant, Minister of Energy and
Natural Resources Armen Movsisyan said in an interview with
"Interfax".
"At present, Armenia has no alternative to building a new nuclear
power station. It is planned to begin constructing in the second half
of 2012-2013. The Minister expressed hope that a new nuclear power
unit will be built by 2017.
It was earlier reported that in late April, Chairman of the State
Committee on Nuclear Safety Regulation under the Armenian government
Ashot Martirosyan said that the construction project of a new nuclear
power was temporarily frozen. "All the issues relating to the
construction of a new nuclear power plant in Armenia were temporarily
frozen," he said.
The expert said that the security requirements are also tightened to
build a new nuclear power plant.
The Russian design standards correspond to the highest international
standards. Of course, all the necessary procedures must be carried out
and have a positive result when making decisions about the
construction, the expert said.
"I think that this problem can be reasonably resolved, but there is an
economic problem," he said.
A source said that it is necessary to build two units of the nuclear
power plant for reliable energy supply.
"One should periodically stop the stations for prophylactic repair.
However, the power of almost 2.5 GW is clearly abundant for Armenia.
About 1.5 GW of installed capacity would be sufficient even in the
long-term-prospect. I do not know whether the opportunity of selling
excess electricity were calculated."
Of course, there is an open question who can act as a guarantor on the
possible nuclear damage, the expert said.
"A joint campaign and Armenia are unlikely to be such a guarantee," he
said. "Russia? But it is not clear whether there is a document
obliging it to do it."