Iran’s AEOI seeks to play key role in country’s power generation

The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) is seeking to have a minimum 15-percent share in the country's electricity generation by building and developing new nuclear power plants, the Head of the AEOI, Mohammad Eslami said, Trend reports citing ISNA.

According to Eslami, there is currently one nuclear power plant in Iran. The mentioned Bushehr NPP has generated about 58 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity so far.

"Furthermore, Iran is building several nuclear power plants in Bushehr, Khuzestan, Sistan and Baluchestan provinces," he added.

The official also pointed out that Iran uses only its domestic capabilities in the construction of the mentioned nuclear power plants. Whereas, Iran may cooperate with third parties in the construction of nuclear power plants.

The 1st unit of the Bushehr NPP was launched in 2011 by the Russian Atomic Company (ROSATOM). In 2013, the development of the unit was handed over by ROSATOM to an Iranian company. The unit has been generating 1,000 megawatt-hours of electricity per year since 2013.

At present, the power generation capacity of Iran's all power plants including, thermal, hydroelectric, nuclear, renewable, etc. is approximately 91,000 megawatt-hours. Of this, 82 percent are accounted for by the country's thermal power plants.