Armenian nuclear plant should be shut down, says Turkish minister

VIENNA - Anadolu Agency

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The Armenian Metsamor nuclear power plant should be shut down as the world cannot risk another disaster like Chernobyl, Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Berat Albayrak said on Sept. 26.

“Even if each country took the necessary precautions about its own nuclear power plant, we cannot ignore the threats on our borders. We have to act together on potential threats. In that regard, the Metsamor nuclear power plant should be shut down,” Albayrak said at the 60th general conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in the Austrian capital Vienna.    
    
Armenia’s Metsamor plant, built in 1970 and located 16 kilometers (10 miles) from the Turkish border, came under criticism from Turkish officials after Armenia decided to extend its lifespan until 2026.        

Turkey currently plans to build threes nuke plants

Albayrak also noted in his speech that Ankara currently has plans to build three nuclear power plants, each with four reactors. The feasibility studies for the third nuclear power plant are still ongoing, he said.  

Turkey’s first nuclear power plant, Akkuyu, is being constructed by Russia while the second one, the Sinop nuclear power plant, will be built by a consortium composed of France and Japan.

Albayrak said the plants would follow the IAEA’s security standards.
      
He also urged the IAEA to look into Syria.