Iran has begun construction of a 10 MW pool-type light water reactor nuclear research reactor of its own design in Isfahan.
The reactor is designed for 20% enriched fuel and will be used to test nuclear fuel and materials, for the production of medical isotopes, as well as for research using neutron beams.
“The design and construction of this reactor is entirely the work of our nuclear scientists,” said Mohammad Eslami, vice president and head of the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran (AEOI) at the ground-breaking ceremony. “After the construction is completed, we will offer international training in the field of nuclear science and technology. This is a completely domestic project that will close the chain of research, evaluation, testing, and ensuring the production of nuclear energy in Iran.”
Eslami said in June that Iran had also begun work on building the first all-Iranian NPP with a capacity of 360MWe.
Currently, the only operating NPP in Iran is the VVER-1000 at unit 1 of the Bushehr NPP, built with Russian assistance.
Rosatom is currently building the second stage (unit 2&3) with a total capacity of 2,100MWe.
Iran also has a small, ageing research reactor – the 5MWt Tehran Research Reactor (TRR) supplied by the US in 1967.