Iran plans two more nuclear plants
Updated on 17 April 2007
Iran has announced plans to build two more nuclear power plants despite international pressures to curb its controversial nuclear programme.
Ahmad Fayyazbakhsh, the deputy head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation in charge of power plants, said the plants would be light-water reactors, each with the capacity to generate up to 1,600 megawatts of electricity.
Each plant would cost up to 1.7 billion US dollars (£856 million) and take up to 11 years to construct, he told reporters during a news conference at his office.
The country has been locked in a bitter dispute with Russia over the funding of Iran's first nuclear power plant outside the southern city of Bushehr.
Russia delayed Bushehr's launch, which had been set for September, and refused to ship uranium fuel for the reactor last month as earlier planned, citing Iran's payment arrears.
Iranian officials denied any payment delays under the 1 billion US dollars (£504 million) contract, and accused Russia of caving in to Western pressure.
Iran is already building a 40-megawatt heavy water reactor in Arak, central Iran, based on domestic technology.
It is also preparing to build a 360-megawatt nuclear power plant in Darkhovin, in south-western Iran.
Mr Fayyazbakhsh said the two new plants would be built near Bushehr. He also said he planned to travel to Russia next week to try to ease tensions and get the Bushehr plant back on track.
The bids for the two plants, which will expire in early August, have been published on the nuclear organisation's website. Iran has already negotiated with several foreign companies which have expressed interest in the new project, Mr Fayyazbakhsh said. He declined to name them.
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