Tweet
Saudi Press Agency, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
June 24, 2005 Friday 8:46 PM EST
Armenia to close only nuclear plant
Riyadh
Armenia plans to close its only nuclear power plant, which supplies
nearly 40 percent of the country's power, by 2016, Deputy Energy
Minister Areg Galstyan said on Friday.
By this date, the impoverished Caucasus state aims to have developed
alternative electricity sources, he told reporters.
However, the deputy minister said that Armenia wanted to preserve its
nuclear power industry as it had experts in the sector and
infrastructure, according to AP..
The former Soviet republic has been under international pressure from
the European Union and others to shut the plant down due to safety
concerns; it was taken out of operation after a devastating 1988
earthquake..
In 1995, it returned to service amid a severe energy shortage.
Armenia has since resisted shutting down the plant, which has one
working Soviet-made reactor, fearing that alternative sources of
power may be hard to come by..
Armenian officials say the European Union is ready to provide up to
?100 million (US$120 million) for Yerevan to close the plant.
However, building a new nuclear power plant could cost up to US$1
billion (?1.2 billion), Armenian officials say.
June 24, 2005 Friday 8:46 PM EST
Armenia to close only nuclear plant
Riyadh
Armenia plans to close its only nuclear power plant, which supplies
nearly 40 percent of the country's power, by 2016, Deputy Energy
Minister Areg Galstyan said on Friday.
By this date, the impoverished Caucasus state aims to have developed
alternative electricity sources, he told reporters.
However, the deputy minister said that Armenia wanted to preserve its
nuclear power industry as it had experts in the sector and
infrastructure, according to AP..
The former Soviet republic has been under international pressure from
the European Union and others to shut the plant down due to safety
concerns; it was taken out of operation after a devastating 1988
earthquake..
In 1995, it returned to service amid a severe energy shortage.
Armenia has since resisted shutting down the plant, which has one
working Soviet-made reactor, fearing that alternative sources of
power may be hard to come by..
Armenian officials say the European Union is ready to provide up to
?100 million (US$120 million) for Yerevan to close the plant.
However, building a new nuclear power plant could cost up to US$1
billion (?1.2 billion), Armenian officials say.