Azernews.Az

By Sabina Idayatova

The Metsamor nuclear power plant in Armenia was built in a nine-point seismic zone though its reactor's seismic resistance is designed for earthquakes of eight-point magnitude, Director of the Institute of Radiation Problems of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS), Adil Garibov, has said.

Metsamor NPP was built in 1970. After the devastating earthquake in Spitak in 1988 it was closed, but in 1995, despite international protests, the activity of the power station was resumed and a second reactor was launched.

Given the large number of minor earthquakes in the past 10 years in this area, as well as the intensification of seismic activity as indicated by the researches of seismologists, in the event of a serious accident at the Metsamor NPP not only Armenia, but also all the countries of the South Caucasus and Middle East regions would be badly affected.

Garibov believes that in case of an earthquake measuring nine points, Metsamor NPP will not survive.

"Azerbaijan demands verification of seismic safety of the plant. However, it is not being carried out, as the Armenian side is not willing to conduct this verification. Destruction of the reactor means pollution of the environment, which we are afraid of," Garibov said.

"Metsamor NPP is the first reactor in the Soviet Union built in a seismic zone," Garibov said. "The operation of the reactor was earmarked for 25 years while designing, however, it has been used for 34 years now. Therefore, extension of the use of the reactor for another ten years means that it will be operated over a total of 44 years."

Meanwhile, the Armenian government abandoned the idea of building a new nuclear reactor.

Instead, the need was emphasized to extend the term of commissioning the second power block of the existing nuclear power plant and enhance its security.

According to the previously approved program, the nuclear power plant had to stop its operation in 2017 or 2018, and the new unit would have been built by that time.