Comprehensive review of Armenian nuclear power plant’s safety to be over in late September
20.04.2011,
23:27
Head of Armenia’s State Committee on Nuclear Safety, Ashot Martirosian, said today a comprehensive review of Metsamor nuclear power plant’s safety will be available in late September.
YEREVAN, April 20, /ARKA/. Head of Armenia’s State Committee on Nuclear Safety, Ashot Martirosian, said today a comprehensive review of Metsamor nuclear power plant’s safety will be available in late September.
He said the Western European Nuclear Regulation Association (WENRA) has developed a stress test to check the safety of nuclear power plants. The test is a targeted reassessment of the safety margins of NPPs in the light of the events which occurred in Fukushima and Armenia will also apply the stress test to check the safety of Metsamor plant.
He said after the results of the study are submitted to the State Committee on Nuclear Safety, an independent analysis will be made together with IAEA experts and only then the government will define major directions to take to enhance further the safety of the facility.
“The tragedy in Japan has made this issue more urgent. Naturally we are considering what we can do additionally to raise the safety of Metsamor plant,’ he said.
Ashot Martirosian said about the Metsamor plant, which accounts for about 40 percent of Armenia's electricity, has undergone numerous safety upgrades since being reactivated in 1995.
According to government figures, Armenia has received $130 million worth of assistance from the United States, the European Union, Russia and other international bodies to upgrade the plant’s safety. The plant located some 30 kilometers west of Yerevan, was built in the 1970s but was closed following a devastating earthquake in 1988 that killed some 25,000 people and devastated much of northern Armenia. Another $20 million will be spent on it until 2016, according to Ashot Martirosian.
One of the plant’s two VVER 440-V230 light-water reactors was reactivated in 1995. Armenian authorities said they will build a new nuclear power plant to replace the aging Metsamor plant. The new plant is supposed to operate at twice the capacity of the Soviet-constructed facility.-0-
He said the Western European Nuclear Regulation Association (WENRA) has developed a stress test to check the safety of nuclear power plants. The test is a targeted reassessment of the safety margins of NPPs in the light of the events which occurred in Fukushima and Armenia will also apply the stress test to check the safety of Metsamor plant.
He said after the results of the study are submitted to the State Committee on Nuclear Safety, an independent analysis will be made together with IAEA experts and only then the government will define major directions to take to enhance further the safety of the facility.
“The tragedy in Japan has made this issue more urgent. Naturally we are considering what we can do additionally to raise the safety of Metsamor plant,’ he said.
Ashot Martirosian said about the Metsamor plant, which accounts for about 40 percent of Armenia's electricity, has undergone numerous safety upgrades since being reactivated in 1995.
According to government figures, Armenia has received $130 million worth of assistance from the United States, the European Union, Russia and other international bodies to upgrade the plant’s safety. The plant located some 30 kilometers west of Yerevan, was built in the 1970s but was closed following a devastating earthquake in 1988 that killed some 25,000 people and devastated much of northern Armenia. Another $20 million will be spent on it until 2016, according to Ashot Martirosian.
One of the plant’s two VVER 440-V230 light-water reactors was reactivated in 1995. Armenian authorities said they will build a new nuclear power plant to replace the aging Metsamor plant. The new plant is supposed to operate at twice the capacity of the Soviet-constructed facility.-0-
