Andrey Gagarinsky, Adviser of Director of Scientific Development Center, RNC KI, Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences:

 — Agreement on cooperation in construction of an NPP in Armenia is extension of the foreign stock of orders

On July 29 in Erevan the Armenian government meeting was held which approved conclusion of the agreement with the Russian government “On Cooperation in Construction of New Nuclear Power Units in the territory of Armenia”.

Andrey Gagarinsky, Adviser of Director of Scientific Development Center, RNC KI, Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences:

I think that the agreement with Armenia is a very reasonable one and a plus for all of us. We have a long history of relations.

As far back as the soviet times the issue concerning the place of Transcaucasus nuclear power plant construction – in Azerbaijan, Georgia or Armenia- was under consideration. As a result we chose a place a bit more than 20 km far from Erevan. Then the NPP helped the republic a lot. It became evident when it was shut down because of “nuclear persecution” started after the disaster in Chernobyl. Please note – not after the terrible and enormous Spitak earthquake perfectly withstood by the plant. Nothing happened to it – insomuch competently the place had been chosen, and the platform under it turned to be really firm. But the plant was still shut down due to the populist “nuclear” outcry.

And after that Armenian tragedy began – they hewn trees in Erevan to light the fire, started dram off the water for hydroplant from holy for the Armenians lake Sevan. They paid dearly for the NPP shutdown. That’s why a demand arose for quick, even feverish, restoration and startup of the second power unit of Metsamor NPP, naturally, with the help of our specialists.

The Armenian power industry got a significant advantage because if I’m not mistaken this power unit alone generates more than 40% of electric power of the total output. For this reason, naturally, both the history and experience in our favor and it’s quite logical that the Russian unit is to be constructed. Of course, American developers also have experience in construction in seismically dangerous regions. But it makes this agreement between the governments even more precious for us and after all the credence given to our nuclear scientists is a certain extension of the foreign stock of orders.

Besides, it’s a logical decision since Russia, in those days the USSR, utterly saved the Armenian economy and solved its energy problem.