Plans for constructing new nuclear power station are temporarily suspended

On April 20 Armenia’s capital Yerevan was covered by dusty clouds. It spread across the city, and some were convinced that it was the result of the Japanese nuclear power station leakage while others suggested that it was the result of a disorder at the Armenian nuclear power station, situated 27km away from Yerevan.

Eventually, both of these theories proved to be wrong but the event gives a clear picture of just how sensitive people have become about the nuclear threat. Armenian officials immediately reacted and released a statement assuring people that there are no problems at the functioning nuclear power station in Armenia and that it is operating as normal. It was stated that in the last 20 years more than USD 120 mln was spent to modernize security systems of the functioning nuclear power station and by 2016, when the nuclear power station is supposed to be closed down, an extra USD 20 mln will be spent.

As a condition for closing down the existing nuclear power station, a brand new station will be constructed to replace the old model. The approximate cost of the project will be USD 5 bln. Armenia does not have this money so it has to refuse a state monopoly on the nuclear power station, which attracted investors as the tender was announced by the Armenian government. Russian company Rosatom won the contract. Currently however the plans for constructing the new nuclear power station are temporarily suspended.

Meanwhile Turkish, Azeri and some Georgian political figures are warning Armenia to close down its nuclear power station as it bears a serious ecological threat to the region. Armenian specialists however attribute those statements to politics and are not going to close down its nuclear power station.