Energy ministry to raise Armenian nuclear power plant personnel’ s average salary

YEREVAN, October 24. /ARKA/. Armenian Nuclear Power Plant operational personnel’s average salary will be increased by 10%.

According to the information available on the energy ministry’s official website, the decision came as a result of negotiations between the plant’s employees with the energy minister.

Some 158 workers and engineers unhappy about their salaries submitted their resignations to the plant’s administration on September 20.

Reports in Armenian media in late September said the re-launch of the plant was under threat after 158 workers submitted resignation applications demanding an increase in their wages. The plant is scheduled to resume operating on October 27 upon completion of a regular repair.

“Money for increasing wages will be taken from the funds saved thanks to optimization of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant’s expenses,” the report says.

A source from the plant told ARKA News Agency that workers and engineers would have their salaries increased by 20%, of which 10% would be paid by the energy ministry and the remaining 10% by the plant’s administration.

The ministry also said that the regular repair of the plant was already completed and the testing is under way now. Upon completion of this testing the plant will be connected to the energy system.

The Armenian Nuclear Power Plant, the only nuclear power plant in the South 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—