Russia to begin loading fuel into Iran's nuclear reactor next week
Russian spokesman: Loading reactor is key step towards starting up the reactor at the Islamic Republic's first nuclear power plant.
By Reuters Tags: Israel news Iran nuclearRussia said on Friday it will begin loading nuclear fuel into the reactor of Iran's first atomic power station on Aug. 21, an irreversible step marking the start-up of the Bushehr plant after nearly 40 years of delays.
Russia agreed in 1995 to build the Bushehr plant on the site of a project begun in the 1970s by German company Siemens, but delays have haunted the e1 billion project and diplomats say Moscow has used it as a lever in relations with Tehran.
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A nuclear reactor in Bushehr, Iran. |
| Photo by: Bloomberg |
The United States has criticized Moscow for pushing ahead with the Bushehr project at a time when major powers including Russia are pressing Tehran to allay fears that its nuclear energy program may be geared to develop weapons.
But Western fears that the Bushehr project could help Iran develop a nuclear weapon were lessened when Moscow reached an agreement with Tehran obliging it to return spent fuel to Russia. Weapons-grade plutonium can be derived from spent fuel rods.
The U.S. State Department said it did not regard Bushehr as a proliferation risk, but emphasized that broader concerns remained about the direction of Iran's nuclear program.
"Russia's support for Bushehr underscores that Iran does not need an indigenous enrichment capability if its intentions are purely peaceful," State Department spokesman Mark Toner said in a statement in Washington, noting the Russian fuel deal for Bushehr mirrored a broader fuel swap proposal that Western powers have offered Iran in hopes of halting its domestic enrichment program.
Russian and Iranian specialists are to begin loading uranium-packed fuel rods into the reactor on Aug. 21, a process that will take about 2-3 weeks.
"This will be an irreversible step," Sergei Novikov, a spokesman for Russia's state nuclear corporation, Rosatom, said by telephone. "At that moment, the Bushehr nuclear power plant will be certified as a nuclear energy installation," he said.
"That means the period of testing is over and the period of the physical start-up has begun, but this period takes about two and a half months," he said, adding that the first fissile reaction would take place in early October.
The head of Iran's nuclear energy agency, Ali Akbar Salehi, said a ceremony inaugurating the plant would be held in late September or early October, when the fuel is moved "to the heart of the reactor."
The reactor will be linked to Iran's electricity grid about six weeks later when it is powered up to a level of 50 percent, Salehi told the semi-official Mehr news agency.
Diplomats say the Bushehr plant, monitored by the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations nuclear watchdog, poses little proliferation risk and has no link with Iran's secretive uranium enrichment program, seen as the main "weaponization" threat, at other installations.
The State Department, noting "the world's fundamental concerns with Iran's overall nuclear intentions," said it was important to remember that Iran remained in serious violation of its broader obligations to the IAEA.
Russia started the delivery of nuclear fuel to the Bushehr plant in late 2007 and deliveries were completed in 2008.
Moscow and Washington agree that importing fuel makes unnecessary Iran's own enrichment project - the main focus of Western concerns that Tehran is trying to make a nuclear bomb.
Iran, the world's fourth-largest crude oil producer, rejects such allegations and says its nuclear program is aimed only at generating electricity or producing isotopes for medical care.
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin had said on March 18 that Russia planned to start up the reactor at the Bushehr plant in the summer of 2010.
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Congratulations Iran.
If you read UCRL-LR-I 15542 you will discover that you don't want to make nuclear weapons out of reactor grade Plutonium.
Those in a panic over the start-up of Bushr should read UCRL-LR-I 15542. The US did test a reactor grade device. If memory serves, it was the Danny Boy device in shot Nougat with a yield under 1 kt.
Russians know like nobody else the size of haos incurred by faulty nuclear reactor, this why they'd rather have it not too close to their land, in the country where the damage may not be obvious for years. do you really think that Iranian govmt will be in the hurry to admit if something would go wrong? HIGHLY unlikely. Even Americans with their level of technology and size of the available land are not in the hurry to built huclear power stations.
Russia would wipe israel off the face of the planet,
Israel will resembles the Grand Canyon
and creates a environmental disaster, it's international credibility is finished, its isolation complete.
The biggest threat that Bushehr poses to Israel is that Israel will be unable to restrain itself from making a fool out of themselves by making a huge deal about it when Bushehr goes online. The IAEA and the entire rational world recognize Bushehr as a peaceful, monitored power generation site that is not part of any secret Iranian nuke weapon program. Loud Israeli complaints about Bushehr will undermine any legitimate claims there are about any secret Iranian nuke weapon program. Any claims by Israelis of a link between the two will be used against Israel to damage Israel's credibility. So while it is an easy homerun for Israeli politicians to play petty local Israeli politics with Bushehr, they will hurt Israel in the long run if they do so.
There is something self-contradictory in Russia's behavior. On the one hand she objects to Iran enriching Uranium even to the low 3.5% level for power plants, and on the other hand supplies Iran with such processed product which allows Iran to keep her stock of Uranium. A good solution for the contradiction would have been for Russia to demand from Iran partial payment "in kind", that is, pay for the fuel bars by giving to Russia the enriched Uranium used to produce them. This should have been acceptable to Iran, after all, they claim that their Uranium is enriched to serve as fuel. The fact is that Iran does not have enough Uranium to run many power plants, so they would have run out of the stuff soon enough. Problem solved.
It was likely cooked up between Obama and Medvedev over cheeseburgers in Washington. Ahmadinejad would have to have been in on it too. It lets everyone off the hook. Quite neat really.
And I think Iran would also agree. They want to have the know-how to feed their power plants and not be subjected to future sanctions on nuclear fuel.( like the ones they have on aircraft parts, on gasoline etc etc)
They play both sides always have and probably always will.
anyone who trusts iran is an even bigger fool. anyone who trusts obama is a triple fool.
Bushehr has as much to do with any secret Iranian weapons program as a lollypop factory in the Settlements. They will peacefully generate electricity at Bushehr, and the more Israel screams about Bushehr, the more Israel will sound like Chicken Little. Israel should clearly state that Bushehr isn't the issue, that it is the secret nuke weapons programs that are the issue.
Over time Iran can use the plutonium out of the spent fuel rods to make nuclear weapons..
Maybe Israelis don't know that nuclear reactors can be used in the production of electricity. The one they have in Dimona is just for producing nuclear weapons.
Is this what the Sanctions are all about empowering the Ayatollahs with nuke?
It is recoginzed by the IAEA as a peaceful power plant that is in full compliance of all IAEA monitoring requirements.
It is recoginzed by the IAEA as a peaceful power plant that is in full compliance of all IAEA monitoring requirements.
Hitler turned on the Russians and Iran could turn on the Russians too. Iran has global ambitions and I do not think they will get along with a bunch of atheists forever.
Remember Iraq?
We'll see who is right in the end.
Not a fan of the current iranian regime at all, but i think its a bit of a leap of faith to suggest they have "global ambitions". Iran doesn't ned massive belligerence from the likes of the US, Israel, or the EU - when left alone they have enough enemies within the gulf area. Do you much about the historical differences between persians and arabs? Shia and Sun'ni?
jewel you are too naive... Iran has made an alliance with the devil and wants to nuke the world! Hitler himself is talking through the islamists and will reclaim world order by insalling a islamic, fundamentalist, crypto facist communist dictatorship! you could learn a lot from american
Russia will one day regret the help that she is giving this criminal Iran regime. The snake's head might well turn around & strike the heart of Russia. Russia's southern borders are full of Islam states !....Like many of the post war states,most live only for the hour & money..........Russia is no exception.
i seriously doubt that russia has ever regreted anything. russia thinks that it has outsmarted obama. obama thinks that he has outsmarted everyone. the only one who is a clear winner is iran. iran has outsmarted and outlasted all of them. those who think that the bushehr reactor can be fully supervised are fools. regards, cipora
this is a fact, this plant is being monitored the fuel is being returned (spent rods) this is the safest part of the nuclear ambitions of Iran, it is what we DONT know that is a threat - bomb this and nothing will come of it.
removing those missiles from poland and czech republic really worked eh?
It looks like Iran has reached the point of no return. How much longer will Israel wait before taking military action????
"How much longer will Israel wait before taking military action"........ This is among the most stupid posts that I have come across for a long time. a) Do you have sons serving in the army ? b) Can you fathom what the consequences will be of such a move..What do you think ? Is it like someone going to his neighbours,having a fling & returning before the husband arrives ? Even here there is so much risk,but a silly person like yourself sees no danger. Just one big fun !
it looks like the teacher instruct need some one to instruct him
ok buddy.We will see how your fortune telling plays out.I feel for the Iranian people and wish them the best of luck.They have a leader who stole the elections and hijacked their country
Iran is not Iraq, Israel attack to iran means the end of Jewish state
Reza zoroufi love Netanyahu and Barak,I think this is time to attack Iran
May I add that if brains were gas; you wouldn’t have enough gas to power a piss ants motorcycle around the inside of a Cheerio.
You know how cares about this reactor; this whole issue is designed to put Israel on the frontline of the nuclear issue. Iran is no wear near having a nuclear weapon’s capability; look closely at what Iran has in terms of centrifuges; they’re not even the right kind to enrich Uranium to weapons grade material. Don’t fall into a trap with Iran they are manipulating the issue to hid 30 years of building terrorist groups to fight a proxy war against Big Satan(US) and Little Satan (Israel). Besides if this reactor does become a threat to Israel on missile launched from Israel can take it out; I just hope that the Russian Tech’s are there at the time with all the Iranian leadership. Now that would be planning.
US president bowing to murderer dictators all over the world, Mosque on ground zero, putting public relations before soldiers life in Afghanistan, I wonder what will happen when the patience of the citizens of the United States of America will end.
How dare you speak in such a way? Obama was showing respect to important people. He also bowed to the Japanese emperor. THE HORROR! WE'RE GOING TO DIE! Give me a break. And the Mosque isn't going to be on Ground Zero, you nincompoop! It will be blocks away, and the project is being undertaken by a man who poses absolutely NO danger at all to anyone, and our own government said as much. But don't let the inconvenient facts get in the way of your paranoid, racist claptrap. As for putting PR before the lives of service members, let me tell you something, as someone who actually served in the US military: He isn't doing anything that shouldn't have been done. In fact, he's doing what is LONG overdue: The closing of Guantanamo, pulling out the cesspool that is Iraq (fight your own battles; we shouldn't have to do it for you,) and focusing on rebuilding trust. Unfortunately, thanks to intransigent Israelis such as yourself, Obama is losing support in the Muslim and Arab world. And all because you are too proud to actually follow international law, and stop building illegal settlements and committing war crimes. No wonder the Arabs hate us. With friends like you, who needs enemies?
You are absolutely correct...we Americans are disgustingly patient. Even after 62 years the US taxpayer continues to provide funding to BOTH SIDES of the dispute in an attempt to stop them from killing each other. If Americans patience wears thin...its cause may very well have been that Americans get sick of the disrespect we get from Israelis like you. Israel gets vital support from the US...but please remember this...we owe you nothing. You spout on and on about unbreakable ties between our nations...and about our shared values...and every once in a while you verbalize your true feelings. I do appreciate the honesty of your talkback...but the cost was a little bit of this American's patience.
You certainly are an uncommon American....a thinking one.
The millitary budget of the U.S is 25 times ours. That signifies that their house is their fortress. clever...very clever. It means that we to must build a strong and resistant house. Because we can see what is going on in the world. we know... Our comrade mr wolf knows who to eat, He devours other countries, headless. He has no intention to listen to anybody.
They are both theocratic and rogue state. Both terrorist. Both fascist. Except Israel also has some characteristics of Somalia. Piracy.
Israel is a liberal democracy, is not theocratic, has not threatened any state and has no one to terrorize, as well as they do not discriminate anyone and do not let any attack happen, not in the name of religion, not in the name of anything. Iran is the exact opposite.
No country should have nuclear weapons. We should be able to live in peace among human beings.
why shouldn't criminals? You are brilliant.
that you are the police?
Rabin, please, do your research before you talk such rubbish. You have no idea what you are talking about.
Israel has moved closer to a Theocratic and Apartheid state the last few years and Jews have special rights others do not, like RoR, able to rent state lands, easier to get permits to build or start business and so on. The main threat to Israel is if Iran gains more influence in Arabs countries and turns them against Israel and nukes would help them in that goal. So Arab countries more at risk now than Israel over nukes but long term Israel could be at greatest risk.
The world does not need an Iran which has nuclear weapons. It would be best that Iran not even have a break-out capability.
"Israel has noone to terrorize" Tell that to the Palestinians!
The VVER-1000 reactor is a water cooled, water moderated system fueled with Uranium Dioxide. There is no reprocessing plant to separate Plutonium, and any Plutonium produced would have far to high a percentage of isotope 240 to be used for weapons manufacture. Chicken Little was not right, and the Chicken Little clones who are all upset about the startup of the VVER are wrong as well.
You think you can throw out some jargon and be credible. What you failed to mention is the amount of P-240 can be easily reduced by a more frequent change of the fuel rods....about every 4 months. You're either being purposely deceptive or you are ignorant. While it's true there is no plutonium reporcessing plant THAT WE KNOW OF, the Iranians have continually lied and concealed other types of nuclear facilities. You cannot say with certainty they do not have one.
Except Russia will have full control of the fuel rods and will provide the fuel as and when required.
Iran can't just take them out when they want without us knowing. They can't move them to other facilities when they want without us knowing. Your paranoia runs deep.
.... He knows a lot, but it was obvious, time and again, that he conceals facts. He was terribly wrong in the Syrian bombing affair. But I couldn't prove it, Yet, the reality discovered later, was the end in my believing him. He has an agenda on Haaretz's talkback....
N. Korea can and has made nukes but they are short on uranium/cash and have shown that they will sell high tech weapons or reactors for a price. Long term Iran's reactor is a large problem but not the major problem right now.
Actually changing the fuel every 90 days is more like what is necessary to produce weapons grade Plutonium. Iran cannot produce fuel fast enough to use the VVER for weapons production. The Busher reactor is light-water moderated, and uses very low enriched fuel. There are sound reasons why folks wising to use manufacture weapons use heavy water or graphite moderated reactors.
http://www.neimagazine.com/story.asp?sectioncode=147&storyCode=2056931
he has lied numerous times.
The Persians will have electricity? The Immortals marching to electronic music? Less gasoline will be needed domestically. They might even buy electric cars. And computers, they'll have electricity to run computers.
but they will be able to charge their mobile phones. It is good news for the iranian people.
Why won't they buy electricity? Does Swiss, Italia and part of German live in obscurity at night because they rejected the nuclear? Quite the contrary, Mark. Let's have a talk with Green Peace and see if better energies don't exist. Hint: Iran is a sunny country with a great free surface.
Dammit. I don't like nuclear, simply because it creates this waste that is a blight upon the world for hundreds of years, that requires containers that must be maintained for extended periods of time. It's basically mortgaging your childrens future. But just as importantly. Iran sends it super-dangerous waste to Russia. According the dearming treaty it has with the US, the only country that they feel safe storing nuclear material in is Canada. I don't want more radioactif crap in my backyard, especially not for a country that would not even tolerate my living there.
Well the spin cycle on the washing machines I doubt vibrators are legal in Iran just like it is illegal to own one in Mississippi
Most nations in the Gulf are now considering or actually pursuing a nuclear power generation program. There are very sound reasons, not the least of which is that if you have only one export product, and it is getting scarce, you are better off selling it for a high price and generating power cheaply.
Easy way to meke another enemy.
WE are capable of hitting this nuke plant. Some +100 F-16 and some shelterbombs are enough...... Go Israel GOOOOOOO Hit the balls of ahmedi.......
From NY- far away. But I agree, do it, TV is really boring lately. We will enjoy the show on CNN.
especially when sitting in a armchair , thousands of kilometers away ! This is not a video game .
I am waiting for decisions taken by our politicians but surely it's time for us to rewrite history.
Start a war over just a power plant? I don't think you really want Russian Warships and Planes to stop in for a payback visit to Israel.
Can't do it without the yanks, need long range refueling and missile strikes from subs and ships in the gulf.
and we all know that iran is capable of hitting back and we all know if isreal hit iran gonna hit back they not just gonna stand there and watch
And how embarrassing it must be, when the israeli viewers see some of this F-16 pilots, shot down during their attac, are shown to the public in Teheran by the Republican guards, handcuffed and in cages, and fed by the bypassers with deloicious iranian pistachies.....
Since the Iranian nuclear program is under the control of the Republican Guard, I'd reconsider your thinking.
Only suicidal religious fanatics like Iranians are willing to sacrifice their children just to attack Israel. Russia knows that attacking Israel would end with Russia obliterated, same as anyone else that poses an existential threat.
Another fool ! Let's turn the topic a little & say that 'ahmedi' is threatening N.Y, & not Israel. Will that Idiot from N.Y. still post nonsense ?
Teach - Some just revel in the sound and light show of people dying and never once think of the costs as long as their pocket or flesh are not directly impacted.
in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. You don't have to give the weapons system to iran if you promise to protect Iranian airspace yourself.
Have you ever see a map ? More than 2000 km between South Ossetia and Busherh ? What a range for the S-300 !
Look at a map. The S-300 doesn't have that kind of range.
Look at where that Israeli helicopter fell out of the sky recognising Saudi Iraqi Syrian Turkish airspace is all closed. It is the Northern route to Iran from Israel, and Israel was practicing using it.
Please do not try to confuse Chris Linthwaite with facts. You will only destroy his fantasy life that he has built up on Haaretz while sitting at home on the dole.
So Israel is going to fly a major airstrike group all the way to Romania, then follow a corridor throught Georgia or Azerbaijan, over NW Iran so they can reach a target in SW Iran....? Glad your not a war planner. BTW.....the Israeli chopper did not "fall out of the sky," it crashed into a mountain due to pilot error.
The relevant article http://www.debka.com/article/8968/ Israeli publication
I am firmly pro-Israel on a number of subjects. That said, Debka is legendary for its inaccuracy , wild, unfounded speculation, and "secret sources.". Not the best site to quote.
via Jordan & then U.S. controlled airspace in Iraq
NG, EC and the rest only believe what fits into their own political narative. Posting a link to an Israeli run web site quoting US military officials isn't enough for them. But wait until NG, EC, and the rest find out that Russia has developed a quick deployment plan to Iran for their truck-mounted air defense systems. They are set to quietly deploy into Iran the moment Russian Intel show Israel begins preparations to launch an attack. Does anyone think Russia's intel community will miss Israeli preparations for an attack on Iran?
There are various ways to get the job done. And it will be done.
The S-300PT which Iran claims it has acquired uses the 5V55K missile with a range of 45 km.
Chris has an exaggerated idea of Israel's tanker assets.
Chris, that is the 'source' which published a story explaining in detail how Iraq was hiding it's WMD in vast underground facilities which MOVED around under the desert sand back in 2003.
under a different president, the orders would be different.
Don't forget Israeli aircraft have to fly over 1000 kilometers to get there. Russia wants to hit them before the reach Iran. Not to mention the reception party waiting for them in Iran. It's going to be a "slam dunk" as some neo-con/Zionists described it some time ago referring to invasion of Iraq.
"it" should have been done by now?!!! What's keeping the mighty IAF from taking off? We have been hearing about "it" since Sharon was in the office.