Russia and Armenia signed an agreement Friday on the construction of a new reactor unit for the ex-Soviet republic's controversial Soviet-era Metzamor nuclear power station.
Russia
and
Armenia
signed
an
agreement
Friday
on
the
construction
of
a
new
reactor
unit
for
the
ex-
Soviet
republic'
s
controversial
Soviet-
era
Metzamor
nuclear
power
station.
"The
agreement provides for co-operation in the construction of a new nuclear power
unit in
Armenia
,"
Armenian Energy Minister Armen Movsisian told AFP after a signing ceremony
during a visit by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
"A joint venture will be created with [Russian state atomic agency]
Rosatom which will provide the new block with equipment for the reactor,"
he said.
Armenian lawmakers last year approved the construction of the new
1,060-megawatt reactor unit, expected to cost up to $5 billion, despite
international concerns over the aging plant.
Armenia
relies on the plant, 30 kilometers west of the capital
Yerevan
, for
40% of its electricity needs.
The European Union has pleaded with
Armenia
to
shut down the plant, which is in an area prone to earthquakes, and in 2004
offered to provide EUR100 million in compensatory aid.
But Armenian officials say the country cannot afford to do without the plant,
which also provides electricity for export to neighboring
Iran
.
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