International experts to test Armenia’s Metsamor nuclear plant

Armenia’s nuclear plans rouse fears abroad, said Germany’s Deutsche Welle.

“Armenia depends on an aging nuclear plant in an earthquake zone, a situation that has raised eyebrows in Brussels. Entering a little-known power plant in the former Soviet republic of Armenia feels like stepping back in time. In fact, Armenia is the last country outside of Russia that still uses a Soviet-model pressurized water reactor that dates back to the 1960s”, said the radio.

“The plant’s old age – and the fact that it is located in an earthquake zone – have fuelled debate from Yerevan to Brussels over whether the facility should be shut down”.

“The European Union’s executive offered Armenia up to 138 million euros ( $198 million) in 2000 to decommission the plant. Armenia turned down the European Commission’s offer, saying the funds were insufficient”, said Deutsche Welle. Armenia has agreed to give Metsamor a "stress test" with parameters set earlier this year by the European Union’s executive.

"If it turns out adjustments must be made, they will do that," Marlene Holzner, a spokesperson for the EU’s Energy Commissioner, told Deutsche Welle. "If we get a request for co-funding, we can also co-finance" such adjustments.

Holzener said Armenian and EU officials were still working out technical details of the test. She added that after a summer pause, they would likely meet again in the fall, but that no date had been set for the test.


/APA/