Iran to build new nuclear plant by early 2014: state TV

Published : May 27, 2012 - 18:47 Updated : May 27, 2012 - 18:48

Iran is to build a new nuclear power plant, alongside its sole existing one in the southern city of Bushehr, by early 2014, state television reported on Sunday, quoting the head of the country's Atomic Energy Organization.

"Iran will build a 1,000-megawatt nuclear power plant in Bushehr next year," the television quoted Fereydoon Abbasi Davani as saying. He was referring to the Iranian calendar year running from March 2013 to March 2014.

The current Bushehr nuclear plant was started by German engineers in the 1970s, before Iran's Islamic revolution, and was completed by Russia, which continues to help keeping it running and provides fuel for it.

In addition, Iran has a research reactor operating in Tehran that is used to make medical isotopes for patients with cancer and other illnesses.

A new Bushehr plant would boost electricity production in Iran, which has some of the world's biggest reserves.

State television made its announcement in the wake of talks in Baghdad on Wednesday and Thursday between Iran and world powers that focused on Tehran's controversial nuclear program.

Those talks almost collapsed because of the very different positions held by the two sides, but agreement was finally reached to hold another round in Moscow on June 18-19.

Iran insists its nuclear program is exclusively peaceful and aimed at producing energy and medical isotopes.

The world powers -- the Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States -- suspect the program could include work towards developing a nuclear weapons capability, and they have backed UN Security Council resolutions calling on Iran to curb its activities. (AFP)

<관련 한글 기사>

이란 "2014년 초까지 새 원전 건설"

이란이 남부 부셰르에 오는 2014년 초까지 새로운 원자력 발전소를 건설할 계획이라고 페레이둔 압바시 이란 원자력기구 대표의 말을 인용 해 이란 국영TV가 27일 보도했다.

압바시 대표는 "이란은 내년 부셰르에 1천 메가와트급 원전 1기를 건설할 것"이 라고 말했다.

압바시 대표는 매년 3월에 새해가 시작되는 이란력(曆)을 기준으로 시기를 언급 했다.

새 원전은 부셰르에 있는 첫 원전 인근에 설립될 것으로 알려졌다.

부셰르의 첫 원전은 이란 혁명 전인 지난 1970년대 독일 기술진이 착공한 뒤 러 시아 기술진이 2010년 완공했다.

이란은 이 원전 외에 테헤란에 의료용 동위원소를 생산하기 위한 연구용 원자로 1기를 보유하고 있다.

앞서 이란은 지난 23∼24일 바그다드에서 유엔 안전보장이사회 5개 상임이사국과 독일 등 이른바 'P5+1'과 핵협상을 벌였으나 이견을 좁히지 못해 다음 달 모스크 바에서 협상을 재개하기로 했다.