Armenia has no intention to process uranium on its territory
24.12.2007,
19:52
Armenia has no intention to process uranium on its territory, Armenia’s Minister of Energy Armen Movsisian told journalists.
YEREVAN, December 24. /ARKA/. Armenia has no intention to process uranium on its territory, Armenia’s Minister of Energy Armen Movsisian told journalists.
“A small country like Armenia should not have both nuclear power plant and uranium processing enterprise at the same time,’’ the Minister said.
He pointed out the impossibility to assess and establish means of processing of uranic ore right now as Armenia will have an opportunity to extract it only in a year the earliest.
According to the Minister, Armenia needs some 2-5 years to carry out the required studies and clarify the processing matter. He also pointed out that Armenia’s uranium resources are not quite extensive to process it on the spot due to the high costs of processing. Besides, it might take on a serious political context, he said.
“Angarsk is the best place for processing uranium with an outlook to use it in atomic energy; Russia and Kazakhstan have already established a consortium there,” the Minister said.
Earlier Armenia said that it has no intention to enrich uranium on its territory and plans to join the International Centre for Uranium Enrichment in the city of Angarsk (Irkutsk region of Russia). In that case Armenia will have access to the overall technological chain, including the extraction, enrichment and utilization of the nuclear fuel in the Armenian NPP.
The International Centre for Uranium Enrichment was founded on the basis of “Angarsk Electrolyse Chemical Plant” by the Russian Tekhsnabexport and Kazakhstani NAK Kazatomprom in October 2006. In the coming months, Russia and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are to sign an agreement on establishing a nuclear fuel reserve in the international centre in Angarsk. –0--
“A small country like Armenia should not have both nuclear power plant and uranium processing enterprise at the same time,’’ the Minister said.
He pointed out the impossibility to assess and establish means of processing of uranic ore right now as Armenia will have an opportunity to extract it only in a year the earliest.
According to the Minister, Armenia needs some 2-5 years to carry out the required studies and clarify the processing matter. He also pointed out that Armenia’s uranium resources are not quite extensive to process it on the spot due to the high costs of processing. Besides, it might take on a serious political context, he said.
“Angarsk is the best place for processing uranium with an outlook to use it in atomic energy; Russia and Kazakhstan have already established a consortium there,” the Minister said.
Earlier Armenia said that it has no intention to enrich uranium on its territory and plans to join the International Centre for Uranium Enrichment in the city of Angarsk (Irkutsk region of Russia). In that case Armenia will have access to the overall technological chain, including the extraction, enrichment and utilization of the nuclear fuel in the Armenian NPP.
The International Centre for Uranium Enrichment was founded on the basis of “Angarsk Electrolyse Chemical Plant” by the Russian Tekhsnabexport and Kazakhstani NAK Kazatomprom in October 2006. In the coming months, Russia and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are to sign an agreement on establishing a nuclear fuel reserve in the international centre in Angarsk. –0--
