Iran and Russia dispute Bushehr startup

Wednesday, 4 July 2007

[Associated Press, RIA Novosti, 3 July] TheBushehr nuclear power plant which Russia is constructing in Iran willbe completed in September, according to Mohamed Amiri, head of a groupof Iranian nuclear and radiation safety agencies. He said that Iranplanned to start operating the plant shortly after. "Construction willbe completed in two months, and we should receive atomic fuel for thelaunch of the reactor in accordance with the contract with the Russianside," Amiri told ITAR-TASS.He added that Iran "expects the delivery of fuel from Russia for theBushehr plant at any time." However, Irina Yesipova, a spokeswoman forRussian plant constructor AtomStroyExport (ASE), said, "Constructioncannot be finished in September." She also pointed out that Russia hasstated that it will not ship the fuel to Iran until six months beforethe plant's start-up. In addition, Sergei Kislyak, a Russian deputyforeign minister, said, "It would be too ambitious, I think, to saythat it can be commissioned within two months." He added, "That isunachievable physically." Sergei Kiriyenko, head of Russia's FederalAtomic Energy Agency (Rosatom), said that it was "unrealistic" theplant would start-up in 2007. He said, "It's perfectly clear... thatthe launch can happen no earlier than 2008." The $1 billion project hasbeen hit with repeated delays, most recently in a dispute betweenMoscow and Tehran over payment.

[Associated Press, RIA Novosti, 3 July] The Bushehr nuclear power plant which Russia is constructing in Iran will be completed in September, according to Mohamed Amiri, head of a group of Iranian nuclear and radiation safety agencies. He said that Iran planned to start operating the plant shortly after. "Construction will be completed in two months, and we should receive atomic fuel for the launch of the reactor in accordance with the contract with the Russian side," Amiri told ITAR-TASS. He added that Iran "expects the delivery of fuel from Russia for the Bushehr plant at any time." However, Irina Yesipova, a spokeswoman for Russian plant constructor AtomStroyExport (ASE), said, "Construction cannot be finished in September." She also pointed out that Russia has stated that it will not ship the fuel to Iran until six months before the plant's start-up. In addition, Sergei Kislyak, a Russian deputy foreign minister, said, "It would be too ambitious, I think, to say that it can be commissioned within two months." He added, "That is unachievable physically." Sergei Kiriyenko, head of Russia's Federal Atomic Energy Agency (Rosatom), said that it was "unrealistic" the plant would start-up in 2007. He said, "It's perfectly clear... that the launch can happen no earlier than 2008." The $1 billion project has been hit with repeated delays, most recently in a dispute between Moscow and Tehran over payment.

Further information

AtomStroyExport

WNA's Iraq, North Korea & Iran - Implications for Safeguards information paper

WNN: EU agrees Iran sanctions as Russia signs Bushehr protocol
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WNN: Bushehr approaches commissioning