BUILDING NEW MODEL NUCLEAR POWER PLANT MAY BE ALTERNATIVE TO CLOSING ARMENIAN NUCLEAR PLANT

PanARMENIAN.Net - In case of closing the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant (ANPP), the only acceptable alternative may be the building of a new, more safe atomic plant of a latest model, chief of the department of industry of the ministry of trade and economic development of Armenia Meruzhan Hakobian told journalists. In his words the alternative energy sources suggested (wind, sun, water, etc.) cannot fulfill the industrial needs of the country. M. Hakobian noted that the water resources of Armenia are very limited, thus only small hydroelectric power plants (HPP) can be run here. The joint Armenian-Iranian HPP on Araks river may become the largest of them. However, all of them taken together will not be able to provide sufficient electric power for the industry. In Hakobian's words, 40% of the total energy balance of the country is generated by the ANPP, 30% - by thermoelectric power plants (TPP) and the same amount - by HPPs. He noted that in the prospect TPPs will be abolished at all, as using gas for generating electric power is inexpedient from environmental point of view, and gas is imported to Armenia. And the solar energy will suffice only for domestic needs. As of the safety of the Armenian NPP, in Hakobian's words, there were no problems with it even in 1988, when the disastrous Spitak earthquake took place. Meanwhile, in case of an earthquake measuring 9-10 on the Richter scale nuclear power plants of developed countries would have hardly survived such tremor as the ANPP had, he said.