Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant Off For Fuel Change Operation

Bushehr, Feb 10, IRNA – The Bushehr nuclear power plant is switched off for its first fuel change operations after successfully operating for 7,000 hours, it was reported in this Persian Gulf provincial capital city on Sunday. Chairman of the 1,000 MW power plant Hossein Derakhshandeh told IRNA that the fuel change operation would take two weeks and be followed by its annual technical inspection operations. He added that the inspection operations would be carried out by some 700 Iranian well-trained experts. During the fuel change operations, the power plantˈs reactor will remain switched off, said the official. Based on the previous planning, the fuel change operations would be completely carried out under water simultaneously with the annual inspection operations, Derakhshandeh added. He said that the spent fuels would be kept in underwater spent fuel pools (SFP). The Bushehr power plant locates some 17 km southeast of the city of Bushehr. The project is considered unique in terms of its technology, the political environment and the challenging physical climate. It is the first civilian nuclear power plant built in the Middle East./end