No alternative to nuclear power – V. Petrosyan

The exploitation term of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant (ANPP) expires in 2016 but the Armenian government has repeatedly said Armenia will not shut down ANPP until the country has new energy capacity.

The exploitation rules have been tightened at many nuclear power plans all over the world following the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan, some countries even pledge nuclear shutdown. For instance, Germany’s ruling coalition says it has agreed a date of 2022 for the shutdown of all of its nuclear power plants.

An Aysor.am correspondent asked Director of the Scientific-Research Institute of Nuclear Power Plants Exploitation, Doctor of Technical Sciences, member and Executive Secretary of the Nuclear Energy Security Council under the Armenian President, Vahram Petrosyan whether Armenia may renounce nuclear energy.

“I think Armenia will not renounce nuclear power. The entire world, including Armenia, must choose the way of building new nuclear power units, notwithstanding the Japanese nuclear disaster.”

According to the nuclear official, requirements for power plants exploitation will be just tightened but the humanity has no other alternative but to use nuclear power.

V. Petrosyan noted that the Armenian government is not going to shut down ANPP, with the latter guaranteeing nuclear security in Armenia.