BAKU, Azerbaijan, Mar. 29
By Elnur Baghishov – Trend:
The Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant in the Bushehr Province (southern Iran) could be suspended due to specific financial difficulties, Deputy Chairman of Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Mahmoud Jafari told ISNA news agency, Trend reports.
According to Jafari, the main problem in connection with the operation of the Bushehr NPP in recent years are the banking problems caused by rial devaluation and sanctions.
Jafari added that there are problems with the transfer of money to Russian companies, which are sides of the contract signed on the continuation of the Bushehr plant's operation, the purchase of spare parts and fuel. However, despite the efforts, no solution has been found yet.
The deputy chairman added that 1st unit of the Bushehr NPP was launched in 2011 by Russian Atomic Company (ROSATOM). In 2013, the development of the unit was handed over by the ROSATOM to an Iranian company. The unit has been generating 1,000 megawatt-hours of electricity per year since 2013. Moreover, the nuclear power plant produced 5.5 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity in the last Iranian year (from March 20, 2020 through March 20, 2021). A total of 43.4 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity produced by 1st unit has been supplied to Iran's electricity network.
"During the operation the Bushehr NPP’s 1st unit since 2011 until the end of last Iranian year, the consumption of fossil fuel equaled about 75 million barrels of crude oil. At the same time, the spread of more than 40 million tons of pollutants was prevented," he said.
The US imposed new sanctions on Iran in November 2018. Over the past period, the sanctions affected Iranian oil exports, more than 700 banks, companies, and individuals.