Energy ministry: nobody dismissed from Armenian nuclear power plant

YEREVAN, October 21. /ARKA/. Not a single employee of Armenian Nuclear Power Plant in Metsamor has been dismissed since 158 workers and engineers unhappy about their salaries submitted their resignations on September 20, Lusine Harutyunyan, press secretary of energy and natural resources ministry, said on Thursday.

Earlier, a source from the nuclear plant told ARKA New Agency that the plant’s administration has declined the workers’ request to raise their salaries and dismissed the revolted workers.

According to Orakarg newspaper, 40 evening shift workers have already returned their passes.

“Nobody has been dismissed and no decision has been made,” Harutyunyan said.

She said that regular repair is under way now at the nuclear power plant. The plant, she said will resume operating on October 27 upon completion of the repair.

Reports in Armenian media in late September said the re-launch of the palnt was under threat after 158 staff members submitted resignation applications demanding an increase in their wages.
The Armenian Nuclear Power Plant, the only nuclear power plant in the Sourth Caucasus, which accounts for about 40 percent of Armenia's electricity, is located in Metsamor, some 30 kilometers west of Yerevan.

The plant was launched in 1997. Now only the second, 107.5-megawatt unit of the plant operates. It generates about 50% of the country’s electricity.

The plant’s financial flows have been managed since 2003 by Russian Inter RAO UES, owned by Russian Rosatom. -0--