Baku:Islam Mustafayev, Chairman of the Ruzgar Public Union, emphasized the need to shut down the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant. He expressed these concerns during a briefing held by the Environmental Protection First NGO Coalition, which focused on the environmental impact of mining activities in Armenia.

According to Azeri-Press News Agency, Mustafayev highlighted that the plant's second power unit, operational since 1980, remains a significant environmental risk due to its aging equipment and repeated extensions of its operating life. Initially, the unit's operation was extended until 2026, with plans to further extend it until 2036 by modernizing the equipment. However, he warned of the dangers of a serious accident or damage to the protective systems, which could lead to the release of radioactive substances and potential contamination of surface and groundwater. These impacts could also become transboundary.

He asserted the importance of closing the plant and called for support from the parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity at COP17 to ensure action is taken to address these risks.