NGOS GATHER IN IGDIR TO PROTEST ARMENIAN NUCLEAR PLANT
The New Anatolian, Turkey
Aug 6 2007
Members of several non-governmental organizations (NGOs) gathered
in the eastern Turkish city of Igdir to draw attention to hazards of
nuclear power plants.
They also demanded closure of the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant in
Armenia which is situated only 16 kilometers away from the Turkish
border.
Speaking on behalf of the protestors, Association of Health Workers For
Peace & Environment Against Nuclear Jeopardy (NUSED) Secretary General
Derman Boztok said, "global nuclear energy lobbies put pressure on
the developing countries to use nuclear energy instead of renewable
energy for their own financial benefits."
"The whole of eastern and southeastern Anatolia would be affected in
case of an accident at the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant. The plant
was declared as the most dangerous power plant in the world by the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the EU . This power
plant should be shut down as soon as possible," he said.
The Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant was built in 1970s, about thirty
kilometres west of the Armenian capital of Yerevan. The plant was
constructed with two VVER-440 Model V230 nuclear reactors, and the
technology used at the time was no longer compatible with modern
safety standards.
The power plant produces about 40 percent of Armenia’s electricity.
It was closed due to the 1988 earthquake in Armenia. However, energy
shortages in Armenia compelled the Armenian government to reopen the
plant in 1993.
The EU continues to encourage the Armenian government to shut down
the Metsamor power plant, but the Armenian government first wants
to acquire enough alternative sources of energy to compensate for a
shutdown of the reactor.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
