Armenia signs contract to build nuclear plant

[Harut]

Armenia signs contract to build nuclear plant

Associated Press, 06.04.09, 09:53 AM EDT

 

YEREVAN, Armenia -- Armenia has signed the first contract for the building of an atomic energy plant to replace its aging Soviet-era plant.

 

Energy Minister Armen Movsisian says international engineering firm Worley Parsons won the $460 million contract to manage the project.

 

He said Thursday the project's overall cost is estimated at $4.5 billion.

 

It is scheduled to be completed by 2017 at the site of the existing Medzamor plant, about 30 kilometers (20 miles) west of the capital, Yerevan.

 

Experts have warned for years that the Medzamor plant has safety flaws and should be shut down.

 

Armenia has long resisted shutting it down because it supplies nearly 40 percent of the country's power.

 

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2009/06/04/ap6504365.html

 

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no word on it in any of the armenian media sources...

[Azat]

thats great news. I wonder how the county will be able to support such a huge cost but if we can that incredibly good

[hosank]

we should ask the azeris to finance it lol

[Arpa]

YEREVAN, Armenia -- Armenia has signed the first contract for the building of an atomic energy plant to replace its aging..

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He said Thursday the project's overall cost is estimated at $4.5 billion.

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It is scheduled to be completed by 2017 at the site of the existing Medzamor plant, about 30 kilometers (20 miles) west of the capital, Yerevan.

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no word on it in any of the armenian media sources...

I know next to nothing about nuclear energy, nuclear power plants and their structure.

We read the planned new and improved plant will be built at the site of present Metsamor. Why? What is so magical about that site? Besides, it will cost twice more to dismantle the existing structure. Why can’t it be built at another site, further inside Armenia, like in Vayots Dzor or even Syunik where it will be closer to the potentially Eastern Armenia, Artsakh. And when the time comes Metsamor can be decommissioned and converted to a monument-museum. The town of Metsamor is a valuable archeological, historical site all by itself.

As to the cost and financing, we export electricity now as is. Assuming the new structure will have even more capacity the neighbors can invest in it and eventually be paid in kind.

In addition. Metsamor is located in one very few flat and open lands. Would it not be better it be rebuilt in less accessible location, I.e surrounded and protected by mountains and valleys?

 

[DominO]

thats great news. I wonder how the county will be able to support such a huge cost but if we can that incredibly good

 

Will probably be run by a Russian private compagny, then other projects of 'oil in exchange for electricity' will be used. Part of the electricity will probably be exported to Iran and even Turkey. Armenia will also be recieving funds, I don't have the lists right now, but I've found it somewhere, maybe someone has it.

 

When you can't pay, just sell it, almighty capitalism.

[DominO]

It's not different than the current 2 reactors, which are run by a Russian compagny.

[Arpa]

Above I wrote that the power can be sold to the neighbors. How does one stop our "neighbors" from buying stocks and interests in the project?

What do you think?

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WHAT DOES TURKEY HAVE TO DO WITH OUR NUCLEAR POWER STATION?

 

Aravot

April 18 2009

Armenia

 

Out of the 200 people interviewed 92 per cent were against the idea

of selling stocks of the new Armenian nuclear power station to Turkish

companies. Only 1.5 per cent supported the idea.

 

On 12 March 2009 the Ararat strategic centre conducted a series of

interviews regarding the recent intergovernmental developments between

Armenia and Turkey. Around 200 people were interviewed, including

government officials, politicians, public and cultural figures,

analysts and students. One of the interview topics was Turkey's

probable participation in the construction of a new Armenian nuclear

power station. Let us present some responses, particularly to the

question "What kind of national security problems could be encountered

if Turkey participated in the construction of the atomic station? Do

you agree with the idea of selling stocks of a new Armenian nuclear

power station to Turkish companies?"

 

Haroutyun Arakelyan, chairperson of the Armenian Democratic Liberal

Party's board says: "There is no sense even to discuss what kind

of national security issues could arise. We make ourselves energy

dependent upon a government with whom we have problems at different

levels. What if they sell their stocks, e.g. to Azerbaijan? How are

we going to stop it? What international standards are we going to

use to stipulate our disagreement? Does the Armenian prime minister

have replies to those questions? If anything of the kind happens I

will be one of those who will struggle against it and shall involve

my friends and the mass media from the diaspora."

 

Head of the Psychological Studies Centre Albert Nalchadjyan said:

"No matter how much I respect our Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan

(competent, good specialist in finances, works effectively) it seems to

me that he made a thoughtless step. Turkey has nothing to do with the

Armenian nuclear power system. Turkey, in general, should be isolated

from the most important and strategic issues of Armenia." He added:

"We should not sign such strategic and long term agreements with

Turkey, even if the deal is profitable for us. We should not depend

upon Turkey in order to be able to tackle our national problems. It

will be good if the prime minister makes statement and takes back

his previous announcement. It is not good to play with Turkey. Its

long-term goal is to get rid of Armenia and join Azerbaijan in creating

a great Pan-Turkish state. I am against not only Turkey's participation

on the nuclear station issue but also against the opening of borders

since our economy is weak. The opening of borders should be delayed

as long as possible or otherwise our economy will sink."

 

Doctor of Economic Sciences Tatul Manaseryan said: "It is unacceptable

and unreasonable to involve into the structure of a strategic

importance institution a county that has no basic diplomatic relations

with us; a country which is currently considered our potential

enemy and a threat to us." We also asked him why on March 12, 20 days

after his first statement, the prime minister of the Armenian Republic

changed his position and announced that Turkey is expected to make only

financial contribution through selling part of the Armenian nuclear

power station stocks to Turkish companies. Tatul Manasaeryan, who is

currently adviser to the speaker of the National Assembly, replied:

"Inconsistency is the prime minister's nature. Several years ago he

rejected our proposal to create free economic zones in Armenia. But

once he heard a similar advice from the Russian Federation,

in particular from [Russian Transport Minister] Igor Levitin, he

portrayed the creation of such zones in Armenia as his own initiative."

 

National Artist of the USSR Sos Sargsyan said: "We should not let

Turks poke their noses into Armenia. It is full of unpredictable

consequences. We should be vigilant. We have history and we should not

forget it. We know how the genocide happened... Besides, why should

they come? What have they to do with our atomic station? Since when

are the Turks constructors? Their priority is destruction. What are

they going to build for us? We do not want their construction. They

will do something treacherous here as well."

 

Karine Danielyan, doctor of geographical sciences and head of the

association For Sustainable Human Development said: "No need to blow

up the atomic station (though I do not exclude that as well). It

is quite enough t o arrange a radioactive substance leakage to the

water reservoir of the Ararat valley which is located right under

the station."

 

Journalist and expert on the Caucasus issues Tatul Hakobyan said:

"Our officials know quite well which direction the wind blows. If

during Kocharyan's tenure for some officials, political forces

and journalist-analysts it was gainful to condemn Turkey and the

Turks, nowadays it is not. The same officials, politicians and

journalist-analysts see how [Armenian Foreign Minister] Edvard

Nalbandyan meets [Turkish President] Abdulla Gul at the airport,

see how wide Serzh Sargsyan smiles and shakes hands with Gyul at the

stadium. And this is enough for Turkey to become a neighbourly state

for them. Now to be specific to your question, I should say that the

prime minister's invitation is a gesture to the international community

as well. He wants to show that the incumbent Armenian authorities

are ready to collaborate with Turkey even on this sensitive issue."

 

 

 

[Zartonk]

Pardon my paranoia, BUT the idea alone is nightmarish. I fail to see what long-term benefit comes from partial Turkish ownership of an Armenian energy project, nor do I understand the advantage of any such capitalistic venture from Turkey.

 

[gamavor]

Pardon my paranoia, BUT the idea alone is nightmarish. I fail to see what long-term benefit comes from partial Turkish ownership of an Armenian energy project, nor do I understand the advantage of any such capitalistic venture from Turkey.

 

Why not? At least the Turks would do their best to be sure that the power plant is safe! And besides what difference it makes if there were the Turks or the Americans? Any "cultural" or "civilizational" difference?