Tehran, Iran, Jan. 14
By Milad Fashtami - Trend:
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that eleven projects with the total cost of 6.03 trillion rials (some $227 million based on the official exchange rate of US dollar) has been approved for southern Bushehr province.
"The projects will come on stream in two years," Rouhani said, Iran's IRNA News Agency reported on Jan. 14.
"Development of Bushehr port and creation of a free trade zone will help development of the province," he said. "Necessary preparations have been done to construct two new nuclear power plants in the province, We have reached agreement with the country that is going to construct the plants."
"The two plants will both produce electricity, and sweeten water," Rouhani added.
"The safety of the plants will be maximum," the president said, noting that international bodies will monitor their safety.
The head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization (AEOI), Ali Akbar Salehi said in June that Iran has reached an agreement with Russia to construct two more nuclear power plants.
"The two sides are negotiating over the six other planned facilities," he explained.
The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran's Deputy Director for International Affairs Behrouz Kamalvandi said on September 15, 2014 that the two power plants will most probably be constructed near the Bushehr nuclear power plant.
"The two plants will have the capacity to produce 1,000 megawatt of electricity," he said.
"The construction plan will be completed in five to seven years," Kamalvandi added.
Salehi said on October 20 that the country needs 20 new nuclear power plants like the Bushehr plant.
"Bushehr power plant currently produces 7 billion kilowatt hours of electricity per year," Salehi said.
"Some countries have declared their readiness to construct new nuclear power plants in Iran," he explained.
Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said on Sept.10, "We have been informed that Iran plans to construct 20 new nuclear power plants."
Salehi, said on April 13 that the country has a contract with Russia which obligates Moscow to build four other nuclear power plants in the country.
Salehi said that based on a contract which was signed in 1992, The Russians are supposed to construct the power plants at the request of Tehran.
"Before the Islamic revolution [in 1979] the Americans said that Iran needs to annually produce 20,000 megawatt hours of nuclear electricity. Now we want to reach the goal," he noted.
Edited by CN