Azerbaijani NGOs appeal to co-chairs of Brussels nuclear summit regarding Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant

Representatives of Azerbaijani civil society sent an open letter to the co-chairs of the nuclear energy summit that began today in Brussels - Prime Minister of Belgium Alexander De Croo and Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi, Report informs.

In the letter, representatives of civil society and scientists called on the leadership of the summit to pay attention to the global threat posed by the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant in Armenia, which is in emergency condition. The authors of the letter called on the summit to raise the question of immediate cessation of the power station's operation by the Armenian government.

“The Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant, built in 1976 in a 9.5-magnitude seismic zone, operates using old technologies and is designed to endure magnitude-8 quakes. It poses a great nuclear threat to Azerbaijan, Türkiye, Armenia and the entire region. The irresponsible behavior of the Armenian authorities in the matter of the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant and their false promises which mislead the world community are pushing the region towards a catastrophe similar to what happened at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant and Fukushima,” the letter reads.

The letter’s authors also noted that the illegal trade in some nuclear materials from the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant is also a serious concern.