Iran wants to buy Japanese reactors

March 3, 2015

We want to buy Japanese nuclear reactors': Iran atomic energy official

http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20150303p2a00m0na013000c.html

TEHRAN -- In multiple interviews with the Mainichi Shimbun, the Deputy Head and Spokesman of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Behrouz Kamalvandi said his country would be happy to buy Japanese nuclear reactor technology in the future.

"We look forward to nuclear power plants becoming an area where we cooperate with Japan," he said.

Japan is currently cooperating with economic sanctions imposed on Iran by the U.S. and Europe, and Kamalvandi's comments appear to be envisioning a period after the lifting of such sanctions. Iran and six nations including the United States and European nations are working to reach a framework agreement regarding Iran's nuclear program by the end of this month, with a final agreement to be reached in June.

Currently, the only operating commercial nuclear reactor in Iran is a Russian-made reactor in Bushehr, along the Persian Gulf coast. In November last year, Iran and Russia agreed to the construction of two new reactors. According to Kamalvandi, these three reactors combined will have an output of 3,100 megawatts. Iran has also reached a broad agreement with Russia for the construction of six other nuclear reactors.

Kamalvandi said that assuming new reactors are of the same power output scale as the Bushehr reactor, which outputs 1,000 megawatts, "We will need nine reactors' worth of power, in addition to the three reactors (that will exist after the two new ones are built)."

"In 10 years, Iran's power demand is predicted to be 120,000 megawatts (which is over twice the current power demand.) In every analysis, we end up covering 8 to 12 percent of this with nuclear power. If we assume 10 percent, not counting the three Russian-made reactors, we will need 9,000 megawatts of nuclear power," he said.

He added, "We have been on good terms with Japan for a long time, and if the matter of constructing nuclear power plants here comes up, we will be glad to accept. Japan has technology and knowhow for large-scale nuclear power plants."

Currently, due to its participation in the economic sanctions, Japan is not in a position to conduct nuclear technology exchange with Iran. Kamalvandi expressed understanding of Japan's situation, and said, "If circumstances change, and Japan gets in a position where it can sell us nuclear reactors, we would like to buy."

Kamalvandi is a close aide to the head of the AEOI, Ali Akbar Salehi. When Salehi was foreign minister, Kamalvandi was chosen to act as his deputy foreign minister. Kamalvandi has also served as ambassador to Zimbabwe and Indonesia. He has held his current post since August 2013, when Salehi became head of the AEOI. At the AEOI, in addition to being spokesman, Kamalvandi handles dealings with the Iranian parliament and the AEOI's foreign affairs. He was a participant in nuclear talks held in Geneva in late February this year. (Interviewed by Ryuji Tanaka, Tehran Bureau)

March 03, 2015(Mainichi Japan)