MANAMA: Iran was the first country in the region to introduce nuclear power. Its 1 GW Bushehr plant was commissioned in 2011 delivering power to the grid two years later — nearly twenty years after the initial agreement between Tehran and Moscow was signed, according to APICORP Energy Research June 2016.
The next two phases of the project, estimated to cost $1 1billion, are expected to proceed more smoothly given the lifting of sanctions earlier this year. Each will add 1 GW of capacity and will be under execution by the end of the year, with the first phase to be commissioned in 2023 and the second two years later. Plans for Rosatom to build another 4GW are under discussion while a $10billion deal for China to build an additional 2GW was reportedly finalised during President Xi’s visit to Iran earlier this year. The country has selected 16 potential sites for new plants, mainly on the Gulf coast.
Iran and the European Commission will launch their first nuclear safety cooperation project this year to enhance the capabilities of the Iran Nuclear Regulatory Authority. They will undertake stress testing for existing and planned nuclear power stations as well as a feasibility study for establishing a nuclear safety centre in Iran.
