World Tribune.com

Iran invites international bids
for new reactors

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Monday, April 16, 2007

NICOSIA — Iran has invited foreign firms to bid on the construction of two nuclear energy plants.

Officials said the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization has contacted foreign companies to participate in a tender for two e facilities to be constructed in Bushehr in southern Iran, where an unfinished 1,500-megawatt nuclear facility is more than four years behind schedule.

"Iran is launching two tenders for the construction of two nuclear power stations of between 1,000 and 1,600 megawatts capacity in Bushehr," IAEO director director Ahmad Fayaz Bakhsh said.

In a briefing on Sunday, Bakhsh said IAEO would publish the tender in the Iranian media over the next few days, Middle East Newsline reported. He said he envisioned the completion of the projects around 2018.

"There are already contacts with Russian and European firms," Bakhsh said. "It is expected that construction would take between nine and 11 years."

The tender called on companies to register within 15 days from April 25 in Teheran or at IAEO's office in Vienna. The bids would be opened on Aug. 8 and expire two days later.

Bakhsh said nuclear fuel for the two planned facilities would be produced in Iran as well as imported. Teheran has signed an agreement with Russia for nuclear fuel deliveries for the nearly-completed reactor at Bushehr.

"Fuel would be produced through local and foreign production," Bakhsh said. "As part of the 20-year economic plan, Iran intends to produce the fuel for two power stations."

Under the tender, foreign companies must provide 36 percent of the project to Iranian contractors. The bidders would also be required to submit financial plans.

Officials said IAEO envisioned the nuclear reactors to cost between $1.4 billion and $1.7 billion each. They said foreign companies must also be willing to transfer nuclear technology to Teheran.

"By putting these two reactors out to tender, technology will be transferred to Iran gradually and it can help improving Iran's technical knowledge in the next 20 years," Bakhsh said.


Copyright © 2007 East West Services, Inc.

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