The head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, Ali Akbar Salehi, announced on Wednesday that construction would soon begin on two new nuclear power plants, with assistance from Russia.
PressTV reports that the project would take ten years to complete and cost around $10 billion. Russia previously helped Iran build a nuclear power plant at Bushehr, which came fully on-line in August 2012.
Of course, Salehi took care to point out how many barrels of oil the new plants would ostensibly save Iran (22 million per year to be exact) because oil-rich Iran always claims its nuclear projects are intended to reduce its reliance upon oil.
The contract with Russia for two new power plants at Bushehr was signed long ago, and there have been earlier reports that construction was about to begin.
The Indian Express reports Iran is planning to build a total of 20 new nuclear facilities over the coming years, nine of them in partnership with Russia.
Tasnim News reports there will be a ground-breaking ceremony at Bushehr for the two new plants on September 10, at which Sergey Kirienko, the head of Russian Rosatom nuclear agency, will be present.