Iran can run Bushehr nuclear plant without Russian help: Rafsanjani
Tehran Times Political Desk

TEHRAN/BUSHEHR -- Expediency Council Chairman Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani declared on Friday that Iran is technologically capable of starting up and operating the Bushehr nuclear power plant, even without the help of the Russians.

“Russia and other countries should be aware that even if they do not come, we ourselves can complete the Bushehr nuclear plant,” he said.

In the test run of the Bushehr nuclear power plant, which began on Wednesday, non-nuclear fuel was used instead of enriched uranium.

Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Director Gholamreza Aqazadeh and Sergei Kiriyenko, the chief executive officer of Rosatom Corp, visited the plant to observe the beginning of the test run.

Rafsanjani said the Bushehr nuclear power plant project experienced various hurdles and delays over the years and it will still be a few months until the plant becomes operational.

Aqazadeh said the plant will start producing electricity in four to seven months.

Rafsanjani stated that serious efforts must be made to bring the plant on stream as soon as possible.

The Bushehr nuclear power plant project was begun in the 1970s during the time of the monarchist regime under a contract signed by Iran and the German company Siemens.

Rafsanjani said the previous regime planned to build 20 nuclear reactors, Western countries were competing for contracts to build reactors in Iran, and the plans for building the Darkhovein and Isfahan reactors were drawn up at that time.

However, the Western countries reneged on their commitments after the victory of the Islamic Revolution and did not even return the money paid to them for the projects, the EC chairman noted.

Rafsanjani said the initial step for the resumption of the Bushehr project was taken when he visited the Soviet Union and signed some agreements with Mikhail Gorbachev, including one for the completion of the Bushehr project.

It was agreed that the Russians would complete the project in four years but it was delayed many times until the test run on Wednesday, he added.

Rafsanjani called the test run a “fairly great step” but warned that the enemies of the Islamic Republic of Iran may try to convince Russia to halt its work on the plant.

“However, the Russians and others should be aware that Iran has reached such a level that even if they do not come, we ourselves will be able to complete the Bushehr plant,” he added.

-------Successful test

In the first stage of its operation, the plant will provide Iran’s southern provinces with 500 megawatts of electricity, Aqazadeh explained.

“We hope that in a few months it will supply electricity to this region,” the AEOI director said.

“We’re celebrating Bushehr’s pre-commissioning, which means we are getting closer to the launch of the plant,” Aqazadeh told reporters in Bushehr. “This virtual fuel testing was successful.”

Kiriyenko also praised the successful test of the reactor, Reuters reported.

“In recent months, there have been significant improvements. I’m very satisfied with what I saw,” Kiriyenko told reporters.

Kiriyenko also said he and Aqazadeh held talks on signing a deal according to which Russia would deliver nuclear fuel to the Bushehr nuclear reactor for ten years.

“In negotiations with Mr. Aqazadeh today (Wednesday), we also held talks about signing a deal for delivering nuclear fuel to Iran for ten years,” he explained.

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