Ankara, The New Anatolian

Members of several non-governmental organizations (NGOs) gathered in the eastern Turkish city of Igdir to draw attention to hazards of nuclear power plants.

They also demanded closure of the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant in Armenia which is situated only 16 kilometers away from the Turkish border.

Speaking on behalf of the protestors, Association of Health Workers For Peace & Environment Against Nuclear Jeopardy (NUSED) Secretary General Derman Boztok said, “global nuclear energy lobbies put pressure on the developing countries to use nuclear energy instead of renewable energy for their own financial benefits.”

“The whole of eastern and southeastern Anatolia would be affected in case of an accident at the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant. The plant was declared as the most dangerous power plant in the world by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the EU . This power plant should be shut down as soon as possible,” he said.

The Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant was built in 1970s, about thirty kilometres west of the Armenian capital of Yerevan. The plant was constructed with two VVER-440 Model V230 nuclear reactors, and the technology used at the time was no longer compatible with modern safety standards.

The power plant produces about 40 percent of Armenia’s electricity. It was closed due to the 1988 earthquake in Armenia. However, energy shortages in Armenia compelled the Armenian government to reopen the plant in 1993.

The EU continues to encourage the Armenian government to shut down the Metsamor power plant, but the Armenian government first wants to acquire enough alternative sources of energy to compensate for a shutdown of the reactor.

Source: www.thenewanatolian.com/tna-28104.html