Head of Rosatom sees no political obstacles to completion of Bushehr NPP project

19.09.2007 // Realeconomy.ru

Sergey Kiriyenko: There are no political obstacles to completion of Bushehr NPP project

There are no political obstacles to the completion of the construction of Bushehr NPP in Iran. All problems are of economic nature, the head of Rosatom Sergey Kiriyenko told journalists while commenting on his recent meeting with the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Gholam Reza Agazade.

He said that Bushehr NPP was the key topic of their talks. He pointed out that the project fully complies with the non-proliferation regime as its fuel will be produced in Russia and returned back to the country after use. “Today, the Russian and Iranian contractors are solving the remaining problems. We have discussed how to help them to do their work quicker. I am satisfied with our meeting,” Kiriyenko said.

The general contractor of the Bushehr NPP project is Russian Atomstroyexport. The plant was to be launched in Sept 2007 but because of financial problems the project was delayed.

As regards, the delay in the Kudankulam NPP project in India, Kiriyenko said that several years ago the Russian Government lost its controlling interest in the general contractor of the project, Atomstroyexport. He believes that the lag will be shortly reduced.

The loss of the controlling interest in ASE has affected the efficiency of the project management but now Rosatom structures own over 50% of the company. “We have already decided how we will catch up with the schedule,” Kiriyenko said. He noted that he met with his Indian counterpart during the 51st IAEA General Conference. “We have positive experience of cooperation with India,” Kiriyenko said. He welcomed the division of the nuclear power industry of India into civil and military sectors and the intention of that country to place its civil facilities under IAEA control. Kiriyenko expressed hope that the Nuclear Suppliers Group will lift the restrictions they imposed on India after that country had tested nuclear weapons. “We believe that the restrictions can be removed,” Kiriyenko said.