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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Iran can run Bushehr nuclear plant without Russian help: Rafsanjani
2009-02-28
TEHRAN/BUSHEHR -- Expediency Council Chairman Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani declared on Friday that Iran is technologically capable of starting up and operating the Bushehr nuclear power plant, even without the help of the Russians. “Russia and other countries should be aware that even if they do not come, we ourselves can complete the Bushehr nuclear plant,” he said.
And in fact you'd like if only to grab the spent fuel and reprocess it yourselves ...
In the test run of the Bushehr nuclear power plant, which began on Wednesday, non-nuclear fuel was used instead of enriched uranium. Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Director Gholamreza Aqazadeh and Sergei Kiriyenko, the chief executive officer of Rosatom Corp, visited the plant to observe the beginning of the test run.

Aqazadeh said the plant will start producing electricity in four to seven months. Rafsanjani said the Bushehr nuclear power plant project experienced various hurdles and delays over the years and it will still be a few months until the plant becomes operational. Rafsanjani stated that serious efforts must be made to bring the plant on stream as soon as possible.

In the first stage of its operation, the plant will provide Iran’s southern provinces with 500 megawatts of electricity, Aqazadeh explained. “We hope that in a few months it will supply electricity to this region,” the AEOI director said.

“We’re celebrating Bushehr’s pre-commissioning, which means we are getting closer to the launch of the plant,” Aqazadeh told reporters in Bushehr. “This virtual fuel testing was successful.”

Kiriyenko also praised the successful test of the reactor, Reuters reported. “In recent months, there have been significant improvements. I’m very satisfied with what I saw,” Kiriyenko told reporters.

Kiriyenko also said he and Aqazadeh held talks on signing a deal according to which Russia would deliver nuclear fuel to the Bushehr nuclear reactor for ten years. “In negotiations with Mr. Aqazadeh today (Wednesday), we also held talks about signing a deal for delivering nuclear fuel to Iran for ten years,” he explained.
Posted by:Steve White

#6  I hope the Haliburton Graphite Fire Fighting Team isn't needed.

(I assume the RBk? is obsolete and maybe this thing as a containment building?)
Posted by: .5MT   2009-02-28 10:53  

#5  Do the Russian's include a remote control self destruct feature in their designs?

Based on Chernobyl one might conclude the Russians include the self destruct feature, but it may not be remote controlled, or controlled at all.
Posted by: Glenmore   2009-02-28 09:49  

#4  Do the Russian's include a remote control self destruct feature in their designs?
Posted by: AlanC   2009-02-28 08:56  

#3  Cause the 13th Imam will warn them if something goes wrong?
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2009-02-28 05:09  

#2  Have the Iranians trained their cadre of suicide fuel rod swappers already?
Posted by: ed   2009-02-28 00:46  

#1  Given the Inshallah approach to tech in that part of the world, I'd advise staying upwind.

Potassium Iodide supplements would be a good addition to the diet too.
Posted by: N guard   2009-02-28 00:31  

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