Nuclear Power Plant In an Earthquake Zone

by Anahit Gasparian

During the Soviet period, the lack of natural energy resources led Armenia to approve the building of the Medzamor Armenian Nuclear Power Plant (ANPP), despite the fact that Armenia is located in a seismically active region. A strong ecological movement led by the Green party in the late '80s raised concerns about the plant's environmental impact. As a result of strong public demand, ANPP was taken out of commission as a precaution after the disastrous earthquake of 1988. Since 1989, Armenia has faced a severe energy crisis caused by a sharp economic decline in the all spheres of industry and agriculture. The economic decline has been exacerbated due to the ongoing conflict over the ethnic Armenian-dominated region of Nagorno-Karabakh in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan and Turkey have blockaded pipeline and railroad traffic to Armenia as a result of its support of the Karabakh Armenians. Despite a high emigration rate (20 percent of the population has left the country), unemployment numbers continue to grow.

During the critical winters of 1991-94, electricity was available to the population for only one or two hours a day. The impact of electrical shortages on the human psyche is difficult to describe, but suffering from the cold of winter and the deep darkness of nights without lights has extremely harsh effects on morale. During the winters, education was paralyzed: secondary schools, universities, and research institutes were closed. Therefore, weighing all the "advantages" of having electricity from the hazardous ANPP, and the "disadvantages" of going without, there was no other option but to reopen the ANPP. The plant was reopened in 1995, and still has an additional seven to eight years of life. Moreover, Armenia plans to build a new nuclear plant to replace it.

In a 1997 study of risk perception conducted by the Environmental Research and Management Center at the American University of Armenia, the hazards of "warfare," "earthquake" and "nuclear reactor accidents" were ranked as the highest risks by Armenians. As demonstrated by the responses, the public does not lack knowledge about hazards and threats relevant to environmental and public health issues in Armenia, and to the plant in particular.

However, the Armenian people are living under conditions of economic crisis and struggle each day for a decent life. The Armenian population is becoming increasingly divided between a wealthy minority and overwhelmingly poor majority. The struggles of daily life have led to the surpressing of concerns over nuclear power. This could account for the lack of clear opposition to the building of a second nuclear power plant in Armenia. Decision-makers and government authorities have also played an important role in the development of this attitude. If the public were to pay more attention to the risks associated with nuclear power in Armenia, politicians would be forced to seek solutions for solving and handling the urgent questions of how to provide for sustainable development and economic growth without nuclear power.

Therefore, people in Armenia today have to decide how to overcome the current economic crisis and reconcile the environmental, social and economic problems of further development. At this stage they are trying first to insure their psychological survival. Although aware of the possible risks and threats to their future, people prefer not to look closely at the problems connected with nuclear power and just go on with their daily lives.

Anahit Gasparian is a masters student at Central European University.