Iran builds two new reactors at Bushehr nuclear plant

By Syed Zafar Mehdi

TEHRAN, Iran (AA) – Iran is building two new reactors at the Bushehr nuclear power plant on the country’s southwestern coast, according to the provincial governor.

Bushehr Governor Ahmad Mohammadizadeh said the new reactors would each have a capacity of 1,800 megawatts and are being built by young Iranian engineers without any help from foreign experts.

Bushehr nuclear power plant, the only functional reactor in Iran with a capacity of 1,000 megawatts, was built by Russian engineers and handed over to Iran's atomic energy agency in September 2013.

Reports had earlier emerged about Russia helping Iran in constructing another two reactors in Bushehr as well.

Iran's nuclear agency chief Mohammad Eslami recently said around 150 nuclear projects are currently under construction across the country, hailing it as an "achievement."

One of the nuclear power plants being constructed with indigenous technology is located in Shadegan County of southwestern Khuzestan province, which is expected to take eight more years to complete.

These developments come amid a standoff over the 2015 nuclear deal with indirect talks between Tehran and Washington aimed at the revival of the accord stalled since last August.

The ramping up of nuclear enrichment by Iran has caused concern in the West, with Iranian authorities maintaining that they don't intend to build a nuclear bomb.

Importantly, Bushehr nuclear plant is not included in the nuclear row between Iran and the Western countries as Russia has been managing its nuclear fuel cycle.

Iranian authorities say the expansion of the Bushehr nuclear plant is necessary to meet the growing demand for electricity in the country with daily outages affecting consumers.

The 1,000-megawatt electricity generated from the only running power plant in Bushehr is injected into the national grid, which authorities say isn't enough.

Last month, the Bushehr governor said the two new nuclear power plants would attract a large number of people to the city, which would require necessary infrastructure.