Armenian Public Radio: Metsamor Nuke Plant Can Withstand M10 Earthquake

The Turkey earthquake, which registered M3 at the plant in Armenia, is nothing, according to the Public Radio of Armenia. However, There's a rumor that radioactive materials have leaked in the surrounding area. (Actually, it is reported by the Iranian state Japanese radio broadcast on October 25, quoting the Turkish newspaper Zaman which supposedly quotes the Turkish government source.)

Armenia's Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant is often called "the most dangerous nuke plant in the world", as it is one of the few nuke plants in the world without primary containment structures, and is in the earthquake-prone region without ready access to water as reactor coolant in case of plant damage by the earthquake.

From Public Radio of Armenia (10/24/2011):

The earthquake in Turkey has not caused and could not have caused any harm to the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant (ANPP), since it is designed to resist an earthquake measuring 9-10 on the Richter scale, the Armenian Ministry of Emergency Situations said in a statement.

The epicenter of the earthquake was located about 160 km away from the ANPP, the quake measured 3-5 on the territory of Armenia.

It did not cause any damage to any settlement or building on the territory of the Republic of Armenia, the Ministry said.

ANPP Director General Gagik Markosyan says the quake measured 2-3 at the plant, adding that the ANPP had been stopped for planned reconstruction works from September 11.

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