The fuel manufacturing plant (FMP) at Isfahan, in central Iran, is to be inaugurated in late March, according to Iranian Atomic Energy Organization deputy head Abdallah Solatsana.
Solatsana said that the stages for producing nuclear fuel assemblies are being carried out according to schedule.
The plant is in a good condition and is able to produce nuclear fuel assemblies for Iran's Arak 40-megawatt research reactor, which is to be launched within the next two or three years, he added.
According to Solatsana, the Isfahan plant can produce nuclear fuel assemblies for Iran's Bushehr and Darkhovin power plants, which have capabilities of 1,000 and 360 megawatts respectively.
Iranian Atomic Energy Organization chief Gholam Reza Aghazadeh has already declared that nuclear fuel tablets for Arak reactor have been produced according to global standards.
The zirconium production plant at Isfahan produces fuel rods for Arak research reactor.
Solatsana also said that all stages for producing nuclear fuel assemblies are carried out by Iranian experts, and that the Isfahan FMP has designed different tablet-producing lines for different reactors.
The Arak reactor needs 150 nuclear fuel assemblies.
The Isfahan FMP is ready to provide fuel for Arak reactors whenever it requests, he said.
Source: ISNA, Iran, March 16, 2009
