IAEA satisfied with cooperation with Armenia: director general
11.11.2011,
21:25
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is satisfied with the level of its cooperation with Armenia, IAEA Director General, Yukiya Amano, said yesterday during a meeting with Arman Kirakosian, the Permanent Representative of Armenia to Vienna-based
YEREVAN, November11. /ARKA/. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is satisfied with the level of its cooperation with Armenia, IAEA Director General, Yukiya Amano, said yesterday during a meeting with Arman Kirakosian, the Permanent Representative of Armenia to Vienna-based international organizations.
The press service of the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said IAEA chief and Arman Kirakosian discussed also the status of joint projects.
The Armenian diplomat was said to have praised Armenia-IAEA cooperation and spoke also about Armenia’s plant to build a new unit. The two sides also discussed the latest regional developments.
The Armenian Metsamor nuclear power plant is located some 30 kilometers west of Yerevan. It was built in the 1970s but was closed following a devastating earthquake in 1988. One of its 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 facility. The new plant is supposed to operate at twice the capacity of the Soviet-constructed facility.
Metsamor currently generates some 40 percent of Armenia's electricity. But the government has yet to attract funding for the project that was estimated by a U.S.-funded feasibility study to cost at as much as $5 billion. Under a 2003 agreement Armenian nuclear power plant's financial flows are managed by Russian Inter RAO UES, owned by Russian state-run Rosatom Corporation.
The agreement expires in 2013. In 2010 Russia and Armenia signed an agreement on cooperation in nuclear energy sphere whereby Russia committed to assume 20% of all expenses. The Armenian government will cover another 20% and the remaining part is supposed to come from investors. -0-
The press service of the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said IAEA chief and Arman Kirakosian discussed also the status of joint projects.
The Armenian diplomat was said to have praised Armenia-IAEA cooperation and spoke also about Armenia’s plant to build a new unit. The two sides also discussed the latest regional developments.
The Armenian Metsamor nuclear power plant is located some 30 kilometers west of Yerevan. It was built in the 1970s but was closed following a devastating earthquake in 1988. One of its 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 facility. The new plant is supposed to operate at twice the capacity of the Soviet-constructed facility.
Metsamor currently generates some 40 percent of Armenia's electricity. But the government has yet to attract funding for the project that was estimated by a U.S.-funded feasibility study to cost at as much as $5 billion. Under a 2003 agreement Armenian nuclear power plant's financial flows are managed by Russian Inter RAO UES, owned by Russian state-run Rosatom Corporation.
The agreement expires in 2013. In 2010 Russia and Armenia signed an agreement on cooperation in nuclear energy sphere whereby Russia committed to assume 20% of all expenses. The Armenian government will cover another 20% and the remaining part is supposed to come from investors. -0-
