Construction of New Nuclear Power Reactor Starts in Southern Iran

The construction project kicked off in a ceremony attended by Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi.

In comments at the event, Salehi said Iran will be generating 3,000 megawatts of nuclear energy by 2027, which would prevent the emission of 21 million tons of air pollutants.

He also noted that development of the Bushehr nuclear power plant would save about $660 million per annum.

Salehi said Iran managed to take full control of the Bushehr power plant within a span of six years, noting that 2,000 Iranian experts and technicians are now working at the plant.

According to the AEOI chief, 90 percent of the contractors working on the second unit of the power plant are Iranian.

He also hoped that the second and third reactors of the power plant would come on stream by 2025 and 2027, respectively.

The Bushehr nuclear power plant will desalinate some 400,000 cubic meters of water for the residents of Bushehr and its reactors are expected to generate 22,000 kilowatts of electricity, he added.

The AEOI chief further expressed Iran’s readiness to share its nuclear experience with the Persian Gulf states which have adopted a new approach to employing nuclear energy.

“The Bushehr power plant enjoys full safety and security, and the Armed Forces have ensured its security. Its safety is monitored by international organizations, which constantly check the power plant’s safety issues and make the necessary recommendations to us,” Salehi added.

In November 2014, the Nuclear Power Production and Development Company of Iran (NPPD) and Russia’s Atomstroiexport signed two contracts to work on the second and third parts of the project.

A total of $10 billion has been allocated for the construction of the two units.

The capacity of the second phase is expected to stand above 1,000 megawatts (MW). The total capacity of the two units of WWER-1,000 (Water-Water Energetic Reactor) will be 2,100 megawatts.