Armenia's nuclear city secures 40% of the current, but the cause of earthquakes endangers the entire world

The article translated by Periscope

Metzamor has been described as one of the most dangerous nuclear plants in the world because of its location in an area of powerful earthquakes.

It's just 35 kilometers from Armenia's capital, Yerevan [Yerevan], and it grabs the view of famous Mount Ararat along the border with Turkey.

The facility was built at the same time as Chernobyl [Chernobyl], sometime in the '70s. At that meal, the Metsamor reactor produced energy for the upper population of the vast Soviet Union, which once had the urge to generate 60% of electricity from nuclear power until 2000.

But in 1988 everything changed; The 6.8 - degree earthquake named Spitak destroyed Armenia, killing 25 thousand people. The nuclear power facility immediately closed because of security concerns. Most of the workers returned to their homes in Poland, Ukraine, and Russia.

Thirty years later, Metzamor's facility and its future remain a hot topic that divides Armenia. One of his reactors resumed operations in 1995 and already generates 40% of the country's energy needs. Critics argue that the site remains extremely endangered by earthquakes because of high seismic activity. Supporters, however, including government officials, say it was originally built on a basalt block and, with other modifications, will make it safer.

Yet, as the quarrel continues to be heated, life continues for those who work and live in the vicinity of the city with the same name as the implant.

This Soviet model city, or the atomgrad, was built in such a way as to attract qualified workers from all over the USSR, from Baltic to Kazakhstan. It was planned for 360,000 residents with an artificial lake, sports space, and a cultural centre. During the days the rumors about the high quality of butter reached Yerevan.

The quake had interrupted the further development of this city. But neither did the population remain static. The same year as the earthquake, local residents joined refugees who fled Azerbaijan because of the conflict on the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. In the first year of that conflict, over 450 people took refuge in the empty barracks of Metsamor. Those people settled there and now live in self - built houses.

The Armenian government had faced an energy crisis following the closure of the plant and was forced to reduce the country's electricity supply to only 1 hour a day. It continued until 1993 when the decision to restart a reactor was made. This reactor remains active, but it deserves renovation.

Today, Metzamor has 10,000 people. In the building blocks five miles [5 km] from the factory's cooling towers, people weigh grief over energy shortages with the risk posed by the plant. “Black electricity shortages are too strong in people's minds,” says Katarina Rothers, photographer.

From 1991 to 1994, this country suffered an energy crisis with long periods when the entire population was completely low.

Some of the inhabitants are deeply nostalgic for the privileged status their atomicism once had.

This sense of pride for the city was what architect Martin Michaelian [Micaelyan] had in mind when he made his ambitious and idiosincratic plan for the city. It was considered an honor to be chosen as the host of that facility, and still has a feeling of pride for Metzamor.

The monthly rent is low, between 25 and 50 euros for a 95 square metre flat. /BBC/Periscope