Lighting strike forces emergency shutdown at Armenia's nuclear plant

A lightning strike shut down the Metsamor nuclear power plant, Armenia's only nuclear power plant, located about 16 miles from Yerevan.

Reuters reported on the event. As a result of the lightning strike, which occurred on Friday evening, "safety systems triggered an emergency shutdown of the power plant," the Armenian Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure informed. The facility was disconnected from the grid.

The ministry stated that workers are currently working on restarting the plant.

Metsamor is under the supervision of the Armenian government.

One of the plant's two reactors, started in 1976, is currently operational. Metsamor produces about 35 percent of Armenia's electricity.