EcoLur
SHPPs don’t harm the environment, while non-specialists speak about the problems: SHPP Union Chairman Naira Nahapetyan stated it during the discussion entitled “SHHP Sustainable Development Perspectives in Armenia” organized by the OSCE Office in Yerevan. In recent years the press periodically publishes non-professional articles in regard with SHHP impact on environment. SHPPs don’t generate any environmental problems during their operation. No emissions, while the water used by SHPPs doesn’t undergo any qualitative and quantitative changes,” she said.
In reply to Naira Nahapetyan’s statement, independent expert Seyran Minasyan said, “I have never experienced such a shock. Let me say that SHPP has higher impact on environment than HPP on KW/h basis. Yes, there is no emission, but ecology is not just emission: lack of oxygen, lack of water, increase in water temperature, which mean hydrochemical, hydrobiological and hydromorphological changes.”
Seyran Minasyan called the SHPP operation in Armenia river piracy thus destroying the main idea of developing SHPPs… “SHPPs should be constructed but not through destroying everything around….” Seyran Minasyan said, “Environmental flow in Armenia is one of the most barbaric ones. Rivers are viewed as a resource and not an ecosystem. Even if statutory environmental flow is preserved, nothing will be left from the river.” As an example of SHPP impact he mentioned the Yeghegis River, “The Yeghegis River doesn’t exist, there is a Yeghegis pipeline, where 8-9 SHPPs are constructed.” In Seyran Minasyan’s opinion, all the problems should be discussed and not to mention that problems don’t exist.
First Deputy Nature Protection Minister Simon Papyan mentioned in his speech that the field of SHPPs has problems and the government works towards the solution of these problems, for example, the government adopted a resolution not to construct SHPPs in Sevan catchment basin. For our part we should mention that the aforementioned governmental resolution prescribes amendments to laws and is on the agenda of the National Assembly for already two years, but it’s not discussed and adopted, while the new draft law “On Environmental Impact Expert Assessment” proposes for the SHPP projects not to undergo any expertise.
Watch video for Naira Nahapetyan’s speech.
This material was made possible through the full support of Open Society Foundations – Armenia’s Policy Fellowship Program Initiative, grant number 18571. Ideas, thoughts, and arguments presented in the paper are the sole expression of the author’s views and do not reflect those of Open Society Assistance Foundations – Armenia.
February 27, 2014 at 12:08