EcoLur
How will environmental safety be ensured in the course of the extra lifetime of the second power unit of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant. 'EcoLur' Informational NGO has dispatched an enquiry to 'ANPP' CJSC CEO Movses Vardanyan. For information, this enquiry has also been dispatched to Garegin Baghramyan, Acting Minister for Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources. The enquiry says:
'Dear Mr. Vardanyan,
In line with Article 12 of RA Law on Safe Utilization of Atomic Energy for Peaceful Purposes, we would like to ask you to provide information on the measures taken within 'ecological policy' component in the declaration on safety policy for long-term operation made by 'ANPP' CJSC administration in the course of the extra lifetime of the second power unit of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant (http://armeniannpp.am/hy/safetyinfo.html)
Principle: 'Establishment, implementation, maintaining in operable condition and continuous improvement of environmental protection management system'
Question: Which contractor is in charge of the establishment of the management system, what is the structure of the system, whether there is sufficient scientific-technical and professional potential if the system hasn't been established yet, what is the roadmap of its establishment?
Principle: 'Ecological monitoring in the area adjacent to the NPP site through the arrangement of surveys of the background radiation, hydrogeological, hydrochemical and biological condition of environmental objects.'
Question: What radius is planned for ecological monitoring, whether atmospheric air radiation background observation sites are immovable or movable, whether there is available (planned) database for the monitoring data of biological, hydrochemical, hydrogeological state, which background quantitative indicators belonging to which year have been considered as benchmark, what is radiation background dynamics on 2000-2018.
Principle: ‘Ecological monitoring through nonradiative and radiation factors’
Question: What kind of methods are planned for the prevention of air, soil and water radiation, whether the effectiveness of these methods have been tested on the spot?
Principle: ‘Limiting the impact on the environment and prevention of its pollution, balancing this goal with socio-economic needs of the region.’
Question: The area is mainly agricultural one and the socio-economic state of the local population is conditioned with the ability to produce agricultural products safe for human health and their realization. What are the tools of preserving the described balance that the ANPP possesses and what kind of measures are planned in case the balance is violated? According to the strategy of the ANPP, which direction is a priority in case it is impossible to adhere to the standards limiting the impact on the environment?
Principle: ‘Providing the public with open and reliable information about the state of the environment at NPP site and adjacent areas’
Question: What are communication channels designed to provide the public with open and reliable information about the state of the environment at NPP site and adjacent areas, whether it is straightforward or mediated - through the public administration or local government bodies? Whether it bears a regular or a situational nature?
Dear Mr Vardanyan, at the same time, we would like to ask you to provide information on the measures taken to ensure the water amount necessary to cool the nuclear reactor. Still in 2017, it was planned to drill 10 more wells to eliminate the deficit of the water intake volumes from the Sevjur River. Whether these works have been performed, if yes, whether these water volumes are sufficient to ensure the normal operation of the cooling system, and whether there is still a water deficit risk factor in the safety system.”
November 13, 2018 at 16:00