TABNAK, Sep, 30: The power plant could stand among the world’s 8 top atomic power plants in terms of efficiency and safety, he said.
The power plant has helped Iran save its fossil fuel, he said. Iran’s only nuclear power plant reached a production milestone of over 7 billion kilowatt-hours in the calendar year to March, he noted.
Eslami, who was briefing members of the Iranian parliament’s Committee on Plan, Budget and Audit, said that the electricity generated at Busher nuclear plant in the past 10 years was worth two times the investment the government has made to build the electricity station.
He said that Iran is seriously pursuing plans to build new nuclear power plants in its north and south because of the high efficiency rates that exist in the sector.
The official, who also serves as a deputy president, said the AEOI is in the midst of the 2-year project to carry out geological studies to find locations for its new nuclear plants, adding that the entire process for building the plants will take 5-7 years.
Eslami said one of Iran’s new power plants will be a home-made 300-megawatt factory for which contracts have been awarded to domestic industries and manufacturers.
He said that the AEOI has extensive plans for uranium mining in the country because it needs the heavy metal for production of uranium oxide concentrate, or what is known as yellowcake, to use it for electricity generation in Bushehr plant and facilities that would come on line in the future.
“Given that we are under sanctions and its (yellowcake) sale to us is forbidden, we have to identify and collect each gram of radioactive elements,” he said.
