On Tuesday, Iran broke ground at the Bushehr nuclear power plant to build two new reactors, allegedly to generate electricity, according to Iran’s Tasnim News. Russia is assisting with construction of the reactors, as it did with Bushehr’s reactors in 2011.
The ceremony marking the start of construction Tuesday in the southern port city was attended by Russian nuclear officials as well as Iranian lawmakers and the head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, Ali Akbar Salehi.
The IAEO chief said the first new reactor is expected to go online in seven years. The second won’t be ready for 10 years.
“In November 2014, Nuclear Power Production and Development Company of Iran (NPPD) and Russia’s Atomstroiexport signed two contracts to work on parts of the project,” Tasnim reported. A total of $10 billion was allocated for the construction of the two units.
The capacity of the second phase is expected to stand above 1,000 megawatts (MW). The total capacity of the two units of WWER-1,000 (Water-Water Energetic Reactor) will be 2,100 megawatts.
