Iran to Triple Nuclear Power Output

(Tasnim) – Iranian and Russian nuclear officials discussed construction of new nuclear power plants in Iran that will triple the Islamic Republic's nuclear power production capacity.

According to Sputnik, deputy head of Russian nuclear energy company Rosatom met with the deputy head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) to discuss power plant development.

The two sides discussed the construction of the second and third units of the Bushehr nuclear power plant, as well as the handover of control of the plant to Iran.

"Questions regarding the construction of new Russian-designed nuclear power plant units, as well as cooperation in related fields were discussed in detail", Russian state nuclear power company Rosatom said in a communique.

The new units will have two reactors of the improved water-water (VVER) design. The reactors will produce 1,000 megawatts of energy each, tripling Iran's nuclear power production capacity.

Iran has said it aims to produce 20,000 megawatts of electricity from nuclear power.

Iran's only nuclear power plant in Bushehr, which produces 1,000 megawatts, became officially operational and was connected to Iran's national grid in September 2011.

In December 2013, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that the construction of the second nuclear plant in Bushehr would soon begin and that there would be nuclear reactors in most parts of Bushehr province, which has a long coast on the Persian Gulf.