BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 12
By Elnur Baghishov - Trend
The Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant at the Bushehr province in southern Iran will cease operations starting from today (April 12), said Mahmoud Jafari, executive director of Iran Atomic Energy Production and Development Company and deputy director of Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), Trend reports citing AEOI.
According to Jafari, the operation of the nuclear power plant is suspended for the purpose of fuel change, inspections and repairs.
Jafari added that one of the main purposes of changing the fuel now is to keep the plant operational during peak summer electricity consumption.
The official said that hopefully, with the completion of work on Unit 1 of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, the plant will return to operation at the scheduled time.
"The first power unit of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant has generated about 43 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity since its commissioning and handed over to the country's electricity grid. Also, 7.2 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity have been generated at the station since the change of fuel last Iranian year (late April)," he said.
Jafari said that a group of experts from the World Association of Nuclear Operators conducted an evaluation program at the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant in the last Iranian year (March 21, 2019 - March 20, 2020). According to the assessment, the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant is in the top five among the member countries of the association.
Electricity produced at the 1st power unit of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant in Iran began to be delivered to the Iranian electricity grid on Sep. 3, 2011.