AEOI chief: Iran set to build more nuclear power plants, generate more electricity

The head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) says the country intends to construct more nuclear plants and increase the capacity of nuclear power generation as part of efforts to ensure national energy security.

Speaking during a visit of the first unit of the Bushehr nuclear power plant in southern Iran on Monday, Mohammad Eslami stated that the facility has managed to produce a considerable amount of electricity in the past years.

“In [the Iranian calendar year of] 1402, which ended on March 20, electricity production from the Bushehr nuclear power plant marked its tenth year. According to facts and figures, 63 billion kilowatt-hours of nuclear electricity was produced in this power plant over the last decade.

The head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran stressed that generation of such a high level of nuclear electricity saved the country 103 million barrels of crude oil, which is worth more than 8 billion dollars in fossil fuel consumption.

“By producing 63 billion kilowatt-hours of nuclear electricity, Bushehr nuclear power plant has been able to cover 4 times the cost of its construction,” Eslami said.

Iran among world’s top three manufacturers of radiopharmaceuticals: Nuclear chief

Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Mohammad Eslami says Iran is now among the top three countries in the world in the development of radiopharmaceuticals.

He went to say that Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has called on the AEOI to continue developing the civilian nuclear program in order to meet the goal of 20,000 megawatts of nuclear power, emphasizing that his organization is making serious endeavors in this regard.

Eslami further noted that nuclear power accounts for some 11% of electricity generation globally, stating it was agreed during the COP28 UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, to triple the capacity of nuclear power generation by 2050.

“We have taken fundamental steps to increase the number of nuclear power plants in our country,” the AEOI chief said.

Last month, the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran said the Bushehr nuclear power plant’s annual electricity generation had set a new record in the previous Iranian year.

Eslami said on March 20 that a series of plans and measures have increased the productivity levels in the energy and nuclear power sectors.

The AEOI chief highlighted the safe, successful and seamless performance of the Bushehr nuclear power plant in southern Iran, emphasizing that the plant has set a new record by generating over 7.6 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity during the previous Iranian year.

He said a 30-strong delegation from ​​the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) monitored the operation of the Bushehr nuclear power plant for 15 days, noting that the results of the inspection indicate that the Iranian nuclear plant is ranked high in the terms of standards.

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