Georgian energy ministry refutes reports about secret nuclear power plant construction

Georgia, Tbilisi, June 7 / Trend, N.Kirtskhalia / The Energy Ministry of Georgia has denied reports about a secret construction of a nuclear power plant. Leader of Georgian opposition party 'For Victory', Shalva Khachapuridze demanded making public all documents in connection with the construction of Khertvisi HPP. As Khachapuridze told reporters, his source told him that a nuclear power plant is being constructed at the request of Turkey under the pretext of building Khertvisi HPP. "In this regard, an intergovernmental commission of Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey has been already set up, and negotiations are held by Georgian Energy Minister Alexander Khetaguri, while all talks are held in secret," he underscored. However the Georgian Energy Ministry calls these claims absurd. A representative of the energy ministry's Nuclear and Radiation Safety Department Dzhumber Mamasakhlisi told journalists that no nuclear power plant is being constructed in Georgia and it is not planned. "With regard to possibility of secret implementation of such a major project, it is something like fantasy," Mamasakhlisi added. Two years ago, plans to build a nuclear power plant in Georgia were actively exaggerated and even President Mikheil Saakashvili stated during his visit to France that Georgian experts actively discussed this issue with the French experts. However, Georgia has abandoned these plans after the accident at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan. Do you have any feedback? Contact our journalist at agency@trend.az