Baku Expresses Concern Regarding Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant

The Deputy Minister of Renewable Energy of Azerbaijan has expressed surprise at the shutdown of the nuclear power plant in Armenia and hinted at concerns regarding "certain technologies being employed." This was stated by Elnur Soltanov in a commentary to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

He declared that "the nuclear plant may not meet global standards" and emphasized that in the event of an accident, "not only Armenia will suffer." On the evening of August 30, it was announced that the Metsamor nuclear power plant had been disconnected from the energy grid in emergency shutdown mode. The cause of the shutdown was a lightning strike that prompted the plant's safety systems to transition it to a safe shutdown mode.

However, the Armenian nuclear plant was reconnected to the power grid the following day and began operating at full capacity. "The safety systems are highly sensitive and respond to any situation. This is yet another proof that the extensive modernization work carried out in recent years, including on safety systems, has been effective and yielded the expected results," the Ministry of Territorial Administration assured.

The Armenian nuclear power plant produces more than one-third of the electricity consumed in the country. After the latest phase of modernization and refurbishment, it is capable of operating until 2036.