1st phase of Irans nuclear rod production complex to put into operation

Monday, Dec 01, 2008

The construction of Iran's 40-megawatt reactor is in progress and its first phase for production of nuclear rods and fuel will become operational in next few months, a senior official said on Wednesday.

The reactor, situated in Arak, Markazi province, will put into operation by the end of the current Iranian year (March 20, 2009),the official IRNA news agency quoted head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization Reza Aqazadeh saying.

Aqazadeh told reporters that ""Arak heavy water project is now operating with full capacity and good progress has been made in construction of its 40-megawatt reactor,"" according to IRNA.

Asked when nuclear fuel rod manufacturing complex will in use, Aqazadeh said ""one of the projects, which first will come on stream by the year end, is the Fuel Manufacturing Plant (FMP) and the first product of the FMP is fuel for the 40-megawatt Arak reactor.