26.04.2009
A press conference took place at the site of NPP Bushehr, constructed by Atomstroyexport JSC on a “turnkey” basis in Iran, on February 25, 2009. Mr. Sergey Kirienko, the Head of SC Rosatom and Gholam Reza Aghazadeh, the Vice President of Iran and the Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, answered the questions of the journalists and expressed their content with the progress of work at Bushehr NPP and the prospects for further cooperation.
The first part of the visit was dedicated to insight into works at the plant. Mr. Dan Belenkiy, President of Atomstroyexport JSC, arrived at Bushehr together with the Head of Rosatom and took part in the site walkdown. Loading of dummy fuel assemblies in the reactor started during the visit. This new stage of commissioning works will secure reactor assembly and necessary equipment tests.
Mr. Sergey Kirienko pointed out the importance of this stage of works for plant commissioning and emphasized that each unit of equipment would undergo a thorough reliability and safety check in accordance with agreed schedule and in sequence used at construction of NPPs according to Russian technology, including those abroad. The Head of Rosatom stated, “Today we can say that the main construction and installation works are over and we are starting commissioning works. We have done an immense work. This is a unique project, no one in the world has ever done anything like this”
Speaking of commissioning dates Mr. Sergey Kirienko emphasized that the works are performed according to the schedule agreed upon by the Iranian party. “The timeline can be reduced or extended, but anyway we are talking about rather short terms”
Negotiations on cooperation development have become an important outcome of the visit to Bushehr paid by the Head of Rosatom. Answering the questions of the journalists Mr. Sergey Kirienko told about potential contracts that are now being discussed with the Iranian party. In particular it’s the contract on fuel supplies for 10 years minimum. Besides, negotiations on the possibility of creating a joint enterprise for operating the plant started during the visit.
Mr. Sergey Kirienko emphasized, “Cooperation between Russia and Iran in the atomic industry fully complies with the international norms, legislation and non-proliferation regime. And this can easily be seen at the NPP construction in Bushehr. All the works are controlled by IAEA, the whole project is absolutely open and transparent”
Mr. Sergey Kirienko told the journalists during the press conference at NPP Bushehr site that “The construction of NPP in Bushehr is the example of perfect cooperation excluding any doubts and fears. Everything is checkable and absolutely controllable”
