Sevak Sarukhanyan Says New Nuclear Power Plant Armenia’s Guarantee of Energy Security

YEREVAN, MARCH 21, ARMENPRESS: Armenia has to build a new nuclear power plant for its own energy security, according to Sevak Sarukhanyan, deputy director of “Noravank” scientific-educational foundation. He said today at a meeting with journalists that the Metsamor nuclear power plant, the operation of which will be stopped 2016, threatens future energy crises to Armenia. “Many people are sure that hydro and water power stations can meet the energy demand; however this does not correspond to the reality.

The nuclear power plant is an establishment of great strategic importance to Armenia,” Sevak Sarukhanyan said. He added that Russia will be the main investor in the construction of the new nuclear power plant. “It is evident for all of us that a short-term war can threaten an energy crisis to Armenia, as it happened 2008. If taking into account the Irani gas main, we can say that the gas issue has been settled; however Iran is in a complicated political zone and conflicts and pressure on Iran are possible every year. It is not proper to rely only on Iran’s gas main,” Sevak Sarukhanyan said.