THE REAL THREAT TO SECURITY IN THE CAUCASUS: METSAMOR – BIGGEST NUCLEAR THREAT, OR SECOND CHERNOBY

One of the real threats to the security of the Caucasus region at this stage is - Armenia's Metsamor nuclear power plant, which is labeled the European Union and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), as one of the five most dangerous nuclear facilities in the world. Built in the 1970s, Metsamor is located about 30 kilometers west of the capital Yerevan. It is located in the center of one of the most active seismic zones in the world, high in the mountains. Apart from its aging technology of the plant, still lacks suitable water needed to cool its reactors

In addition, the weak financial position of the country makes it obvious that the Armenian government is not able to cope with the consequences of possible accidents. According to the IAEA nuclear power stations should be located at least 90 km away from the settlements. Metsamor is located about 20 km Igdir (Turkey) and 30 km of Yerevan. As well, according to the Austrian Institute of Applied Ecology of November 2001 Metsamor is one of the most dangerous nuclear power plants in Europe. We think that this problem threatens not only the region, but also a global basis on which everyone should be interested in solving it.

            Key words: Caucasus, security threats, nuclear power plant (NPP), Metsamor

Our region is under new Chernobyl threat. Armenia’s Metsamor nuclear power plant is labeled by the European Union and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as one of the five most dangerous nuclear facilities in the world. Built in 1970s, the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant is about 30 kilometers west from the capital Yerevan in the city of Metsamor. The plant was constructed with two VVER-440 Model V230 nuclear reactors. The E.U. has classified this type of reactors as the "oldest and least reliable" category of nuclear reactors in the world.

Operating and planned nuclear power reactors in Armenia (1)

Reactor	Type	Net capacity	Status	First power
Armenia 2	VVER-440	376 MWe	Operating	1980
Armenia 3	VVER-1000	1060 MWe	Planned	Expected 2020
Total operating (1)		376 MWe

Metsamor is located in the middle of one of the world’s most active seismic zones with a magnitude 11 earthquake risk. It was built to withstand only a magnitude 9 earthquake. After the 1988 Spitak earthquake the authorities decided to shut down the plant which is a proof that the Armenian authorities at the time realized the threat of Metsamor Power Plant in case of a natural disaster. However Armenian government decided to reopen the plant due to energy shortage in Armenia in 1993. The Unit 2 reactor was brought back into operation on October 26, 1995 (1). Metsamor is the only Nuclear reactor in the world that was reopened after being closed. The operation of this Nuclear facility causes major security and ecological threats to the region especially to Turkey (17-mile distance from Igdir region) Georgia and Azerbaijan (2).

There is some evidence of the leakage of radioactive elements which are gravely dangerous for human health. The Igdır plain, Ardahan, Kars and Erzurum are facing the danger of radiation. People of Igdır claim that they see the effects of radiation on vegetables and fruits they grow. Additionally, Armenians let the water of Arpachay and Aras rivers to flow back into these rivers after using the water for cooling the station. It causes irreversible damages to the environment and pollutes the rivers. According to the Agriculture Office in Igdır, defected animal births have increased in the last years. Besides, increasing rate of cancer cases is suspected to be one of the most dangerous effects of the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant (3).

Aside from its aging technology the plant which is located high in the mountains lacks suitable water resources to use for cooling its reactors. Also the weak financial situation of the country makes it obvious that the Armenian government will not be able to cope with the consequences of a possible accident (4).

Many scientists point out that Metsamor has fulfilled its operation life. In this situation extending the its operation means opening the door to potential disasters in the region.

According to IAEA nuclear power stations must be at least 90 km away from the habitation. Metsamor is approximately 20 km to Igdir and 30 km to Yerevan. There have been warnings from international organizations and international media also expressing their concerns about potential disastrous impact of Metsamor. – On 11 April the National Geographic ran a story entitled “Is Armenia’s Nuclear Plant the World’s Most Dangerous?” (3).

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe documents have also expressed numerous concerns that Metsamor NPP situated in the seismically active zone and is a source of serious danger for all of the Caucasus region (5).

The Metsamor power station is one of very few remaining nuclear reactors of its kind that were built without primary containment structures. Additionally there have to be at least 2-meter thick steel plates surrounding the nucleus of the station to prevent the release of radioactive material during accidents, which is not yet present in Metsamor. The seriousness of the issue is obvious enough by the facts that it has experienced approximately 150 accidents in 10 years after it has begun to operate. The European Union's envoy expressed his concern by calling the facility "a danger to the entire region”.

On December 15 the first bloc of the plant became critical , while the second bloc became critical on the 1st of January 1980. There was a fire because of severe problems with first bloc’s borate pump’s on the 15th of October. This fire revealed that the construction material used for the plant was of inadequate quality, that the alarm did not work and that the gasmasks necessary for personnel were insufficient quantity.

A characteristic Metsamor shares with Chernobyl plant is that they both did not have a containment vessel which is a layer of shielding around the nuclear fuel and usually is designed to trap most of the radiation released during a nuclear reaction. The reactor vessel is also designed to withstand high pressures. The VVER 440s share one fault with Chernobyl that has been a continuing concern to many who live nearby; they both do not have a containment structure. Armenian chemist and environmentalist Jacob Sanasaryan announced that Metsamor does not meet international nuclear safety standards back in 2003.

Antonia Wenisch from the Austrian Institute of Applied Ecology in Vienna, called Metsamor "among the most dangerous" nuclear plants still in operation. She expressed her view by saying "From that point, there is an open reactor building, a core with no water in it, and accident progression with no mitigation at all" (6; 7). Metsamor is one of the most dangerous nuclear plants in Europe, according to a November 2001 study based on security, site, finance and age, by the Austrian Institute for Applied Ecology (8).

Armenia’s report for the international convention on nuclear safety estimates the risk of “core damage frequency” to be two incidents every 10.000 years. This number should be less than one. According to the report by the Electric Power Research Institute the average risk at nuclear power plants should be two incidents every 50.000 years.

On the 25th of January 2001 the shutting down of the plant was required as condition for membership of Armenia by the EU Council. Later Armenian authorities stated during a meeting with EU Parliamentarians in Yerevan that they have made such a promise to the European Council “they were not obliged to fulfill it”. Indeed, the EU proposed to pay Armenia 121 million euro in return for ending the danger of Metsamor. Unsurprisingly, Armenian Prime Minister Robert Kocharian deemed the amount was too small. Despite the fact that the EU has obliged the immediate closure of the station until 2011 and declared its readiness to assign 100 million to Armenia to cover its energy needs, the country has not agreed (9).

German-Armenian Association says that from time to time Armenia announces that it modernizes the plant and makes safety investments as Greanpeace describes that the deficiencies of Metsamor, as the “most dangerous plant in Europe” cannot be alleviated in this fashion.

An atomic energy expert for Greenpeace has expressed his attitude by emphasizing that “this plant cannot be called secure. Its inadequacies cannot be improved. The EU has had the similar type reactor in Bohucine, Slovakia discontinued operations for the same reasons on the 31st of December, 2008” (10).

EU representative in Armenia Alex Louer compared the continuing operation of Metsamor plant to a “nuclear bomb constantly circling overhead” (9).

The British Daily Telegraph newspaper has reported the issue with the headline “Experts Fear an Armenian Chernobyl”. British Ambassador to Armenia Timothy Marshall Jones has said “in a possible strong earthquake the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant will fall to pieces and in the nuclear apocalypse to follow all living things will perish. Armenia should honor its promises and shut down the plant” (9).

The official Yerevan states that the plant will produce energy until 2016 (1). However, Armenian Deputy Energy Minister Areg Galstyan has said that the plant may continue its operation until 2031. The international community should be very vigilant in examining this process and the international organizations should take measures to stop Yerevan’s selfish policy.

The planned lifetime of the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant came to an end in 2005 but Armenia still continues to operate it. A very important aspect of this issue is that the plant is used by Armenia to both produce energy and as a foreign policy tool. It is unacceptable that this kind of threat to international and regional destruction is so uncaringly used as a tool for foreign policy.

Latest reports by Armenian agencies show that it is preparing to add a new reactor to the Metsamor NPP. It seems that Yerevan is determined on using energy as a foreign policy tool and wants to do it as hazardously as possible.

The international community should not be silent towards this threat. No government should be able to take decisions alone regarding the operation of such a risky and life-threatening facility. The operation of this Power Plant should not be acceptable to any government. Letting such a plant operate instead of preventing it is not taking any action to defuse a time bomb placed in the heart of the Caucasus.

Sources

1.Nuclear Power in Armenia / http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf113.html

2.Решение Армении по АЭС "Мецамор" - угроза для всего региона / http://www.trend.az/regions/scaucasus/azerbaijan/1946655.html

3.Marianne Lavelle, Josie Garthwaite. Is Armenia’s Nuclear Plant the World’s Most Dangerous? / http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2011/04/110412-most-dangerous-nuclear-plant-armenia/

4.John Daly. Armenia’s Aging Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant Alarms Caucasian Neighbors / http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Nuclear-Power/Armenias-Aging-Metsamor-Nuclear-Power-Plant-Alarms-Caucasian-Neighbors.html

5.В ПАСЕ распространен документ "Мецаморская АЭС – постоянная угроза для Южного Кавказа и Европы" / http://www.trend.az/news/politics/2041432.html

6.Fikrat Sadikhov. Metsamor nuke plant: fateful combination of risks/ http://www.news.az/articles/35576/print

7.Eco Terrorism II / http://chem11.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=gaiasphere&action=print&thread=2296

8.Medzamor (Armenia). No Nukes Inforesourse Site / http://www.ecology.at/nni/index.php?p=site&s=183

9.The Fukushima In Caucasia / http://www.diplomaticobserver.com/EN/belge/2-2886/the-fukushima-in-caucasia.html

10.The Information Society Strategy for 2009 - 2013. Bratislava, October 2009, p.5 / www.informatizacia.sk/ext_dok.../6497c

Xülasə

Cavid Əlisgəndərli

Bakı Dövlət Universiteti,

Beynəlxalq Münasibətlər və İqtisadiyyat fakültəsi

e-mail: javid_alisgandarli@yahoo.com

QAFQAZDA TƏHLÜKƏSIZLIYƏ REAL HƏDƏ:

METSAMOR – BÖYÜK NÜVƏ TƏHLÜKƏSI,

YAXUD IKINCI ÇERNOBIL

Ermənistanın Metsamor Atom Elektrik Stansiyası müasir dövrdə Qafqaz regionunda təhlükəsizliyə real təhdidlərdən biridir. Metsamor Atom Elektrik Stansiyası Avropa İttifaqı və MAQATE tərəfindən dünyanın ən təhlükəli 5 nüvə obyekti sıyahısına daxil edilib. 1970-ci illərdə inşa edilən AES Yerevandan 30 km qərbdə, seysmik cəhətdən təhlükəli olan dağlıq ərazidə yerləşir. AES-də istifadə olunan texnologiyaların köhnəliyi, istismar müddətinin başa çatmasından əlavə, reaktorların soyudulması üçün lazım olan su ehtiyatları da yoxdur həmin ərazidə. Ermənistanın maliyyə baxımından problemlərinin olması da, qəza olacağı halda dövlətin problemin öhdəsindən gələ biləcəyinə ümidləri azaldır. MAQATE-nin müəyyən etdiyi qaydalara görə, nüvə stansiyaları yaşayış məntəqələrindən ən azı 90 km uzaqlıqda yerləşə bilər. Metsamor isə İqdırın (Türkiyə) 20 km, Yerevanın isə 30 km yaxınlığında yerləşir. Avstriyanın Tətbiqi Ekologiya İnstitutunun 2010-cu ilin noyabr ayına aid olan məlumatına görə də, Metsamor AES Avropada ən təhlükəli atom stansiyalarından biridir. Fikrimizcə, haqqında danışılan problem yalnız region üçün deyil, həm də qlobal təhlükəsizliyə hədədir və bu baxımdan, bütün dövlətlər onun həllində maraqlı olmalıdırlar.

Açar sözlər: Qafqaz, təhlükəsizliyə hədə, atom elektrik stansiyası (AES), Metsamor

Аннотация

Джавид Алискандарли

Бакинский Государственный Университет,

Факультет Международных отношений и Экономики

e-mail: javid_alisgandarli@yahoo.com

РЕАЛЬНАЯ УГРОЗА БЕЗОПАСНОСТИ НА КАВКАЗЕ:

МЕЦАМОР - КРУПНЕЙШАЯ ЯДЕРНАЯ УГРОЗА,

ИЛИ ВТОРОЙ ЧЕРНОБЫЛЬ

Одной из реальных угроз безопасности кавказского региона на современном этапе является - Мецаморская атомная станция Армении, которая помечена Евросоюзом и Международным Агентством по атомной энергии (МАГАТЭ) в качестве одного из пяти самых опасных ядерных объектов в мире. Построенная в 1970-х годах Мецаморская АЭС находится около 30 километров к западу от столицы Еревана. Она расположена в центре одного из самых активных сейсмических зон мира, высоко в горах. Помимо своего старения технологии завода, еще не хватает подходящих водных ресурсов, необходимых для охлаждения ее реакторов. Кроме того, слабое финансовое положение страны делает очевидным, что армянское правительство не сможет справиться с последствиями возможных аварий. По данным МАГАТЭ станции ядерной энергетики должны находится не менее 90 км от населенных пунктов. Мецамор же находится примерно в 20 км к Игдыр (Турция) и 30 км Еревана. Так же, по оценкам Австрийского института прикладной экологии от ноября 2001 года, Мецамор является одной из самых опасных атомных станций в Европе. Думаем, что данная проблема угрожает не только региону, но и является глобальной исходя из чего, все государства должны быть заинтересованы в ее решении.

Ключевые слова: Кавказ, угроза безопасности, атомная электростанция (АЭС), Мецамор.