Armenia Nuclear Power Plant shuts down after lightning strike

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Armenian Nuclear Power Plant in Metsamor shut down due to lightning strike on Friday, August 31 evening, the press service of the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of Armenia reported.

"On August 30, at approximately 21:55, the Armenian NPP was disconnected from the power grid in emergency shutdown mode. The cause was a lightning strike, as a result of which the plant's safety systems switched it to safe shutdown mode," the statement said.

The safety systems of nuclear power plants are highly sensitive and respond quickly to any situation.

"Currently, the staff is busy restarting the station. This is further evidence that the large-scale work on modernizing the nuclear power plant, carried out in recent years, including safety systems, has proven effective and produced the expected result," the press service said.

Earlier, the Electric Networks of Armenia reported that at 21:54, due to the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant's exit from the electric power system, the automation of the Shahumyan-2 substation, owned by the the company High-Voltage Electric Networks, was disconnected. As a result of the disconnection, a number of administrative districts of Yerevan, Echmiadzin, and Armavir regions were de-energized. The company noted that the power supply to the administrative districts of Yerevan and Armavir was restored approximately 15 minutes later, and to Echmiadzin at 22:26.