Russia, Iran broaden cooperation in peaceful uses of atomic energy

A number of documents were signed at premises of the Russian state nuclear power engineering corporation Rosatom in Moscow on 11 November 2014 to broaden cooperation between Russia and Iran in peaceful uses of atomic energy, BelTA learned from the Communications Department of the Russian company.

After the negotiations Chief Executive Officer of Rosatom Sergei Kiriyenko and Vice President of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Ali-Akbar Salehi signed the protocol to the intergovernmental agreement between Russia and Iran concerning cooperation in the construction of a nuclear power plant in Iran of 25 August 1992 and the interagency memorandum of understanding concerning the broadening of cooperation in peaceful uses of atomic energy.

Besides, in the presence of Sergei Kiriyenko and Ali-Akbar Salehi the contract for the construction of two power units of Bushehr Phase II was signed. The document was signed by the head of the merged company NIAEP-ASE and the head of the Nuclear Power Production and Development Company of Iran (NPPD).

According to the protocol to the intergovernmental agreement between the two countries, the parties intend to cooperate in the construction of additional four power units with VVER reactors on turn-key terms at the site of the Bushehr nuclear power plant as well as four similar power units at another site in Iran, which will be provided by the Iranian party later. With this the parties intend to ensure the maximum possible participation of enterprises and organizations of the Islamic Republic of Iran in all the works related to the construction of the new power units at the sites, their operation and decommissioning.

The entire construction project of the nuclear power units in Iran, including equipment and nuclear fuel supplies, will be under the IAEA safeguards and will fully meet the nuclear nonproliferation regime the way it was done during the construction of the first power unit of the Bushehr nuclear power plant.

Under the protocol, nuclear fuel for the NPPs will be fabricated by the Russian party throughout the entire lifecycle of the eight new power units. Spent nuclear fuel will be returned to Russia for reprocessing and storage. The Russian party will take care of the training of the Iranian specialists for operating, servicing and corresponding engineering support of the NPPs as well as in the field of regulation of nuclear and radiation safety.

According to the text of the signed memorandum, the partners have confirmed their intent to cooperate in the field of the nuclear fuel cycle and ecology. In particular, within the framework of the broadening of construction of Russian-design power units in Iran the partners will consider the economic expediency and feasibility of fabricating fuel rod components in Iran, which will be used by these power units.