EcoLur
The matters of Armenian Nuclear Power Plant safety were discussed at EcoLur Press Club. Energy case experts Emil Sahakyan, Eduard Arzumanyan, Chemist Hakob Sanasaryan - Chairman of Greens Union of Armenia and Lawyer Nazeli Vardanyan.
The society raises questions about the re-equipment of the second power unit, as well as the destiny of the first power unit which has been stopped for 29 years.
ANPP First Power Unit: Source of Large Risks
This power unit hasn't been operated since 1989. According to the specialists, the power unit getting out of service may become a large source of generation of radioactive wastes with high activity. 'These radioactive wastes – liquid, solid and used fuel should be eliminated,' Expert Eduard Arzumanyan said.
Emil Sahakyan noted that a large area and much money is needed for dismantling the power unit. All the processes will last around 50 years.
The area, systems and equipment of the ANPP first unit, which can be used for the further development, will be used for the operation of the second power unit.
Re-equipment Risks of ANPP Second Power Unit
The operation of the ANPP second power unit was expired in 2016, but the Armenian Government reached a decision to extend the lifetime of the second power unit for 10 years receiving a loan of US $ 270 million and a grant of US $ 30 million from Russia.
The experts claimed that the re-equipment of the ANPP second power unit doesn't solve the problem of ANPP safety. Expert Emil Sahakyan outlined the risk of metal weariness, 'The operation of the rehabilitated nuclear power plant and the operation of the new nuclear power plant are different things. During the operation, under the impact of radiation, metals changes its structure and gets weaker. It's not possible to check all the metals from A to Z. We have a problem: when the nuclear power plant is put into service, what kind of guarantees there are, who is in charge of safety, how many years it will operate and under what conditions?
Under Emil Sahakyan, the Government of Armenia should think of closing down the ANPP within next 10 years. 'Armenia is not the most successful place for the nuclear power plant, as it's an object of super-high risks. If there is a risk, then there is a probability, if there is a probability, something will happen, and we will get lost, both the nation and the state,' Emil Sahakyan noted.
'It's senseless to construct a new nuclear power plant in this zone of Armenia, while the lifetime extension of the reactor is senseless: the probability of an accident gets higher,' Chemist Hakob Sanasaryan said.
'We shouldn't think of a new nuclear power unit for the development of energy in Armenia,' Eduard Arzumanyan expressed his opinion.
ANPP Emissions – Within Standards?
At the official level, it is stated that the ANPP emissions are within the standards and even are much lower than the maximum permissible standards. Under Emil Sahakyan, there is no information about the real emissions. 'The spot in the nuclear power plant must meet certain requirements. The meteorological spots of the ANPP don't comply with the requirements that must be in the spots of the nuclear power plant,' Emil Sahakyan said. Hakob Sanasaryan noted that an ongoing monitoring must be carried out both inside and outside the nuclear power plant.
Water Let out of ANPP as Additional Risks
'The nuclear power plant has liquid emissions, certain amounts of water are generated in the course of different sorts of equipment. According to their data, this water is dissolved with the clean water so as to have concentration lowered and when it lowers to the permissible level, it is let out into the Sevjur River and can be used for irrigation. I haven't myself eye witnessed any supervision. It can be considered as a risk. It should be measured whether or not such water is subject to be let out,' Emil Sahakyan said.
Impacted Community Residents in Risk Zone
'People, who are living next to the nuclear power plant, should be insured and provided with free-of-charge electricity. They must be informed about the risks and learn how to protect themselves. There is must be air and water monitoring and the diameter is not 10 km but a larger one. I know that the sewage goes and flows into Ararat fields. The MES must be given clear instructions that they have technical means, each step must be developed and work must be done with everybody. If we know there is a risk, we should envisage all preventative measures to acquire all the technical means now,' Nazeli Vardanyan said.
July 24, 2018 at 13:18