Iran to 'remove fuel' from Bushehr atomic plant (to conduct experiments and tech work)

[maddezmom]

Source: AFP

Iran to 'remove fuel' from Bushehr atomic plant
By Farhad Pouladi (AFP) – 2 hours ago

TEHRAN — Iran will remove the fuel from the reactor of a Russian-built nuclear power plant in the southern city of Bushehr, a top official said on Saturday, citing technical advice from Moscow.

The plant, which has seen a roller-coaster ride since its construction began in the 1970s, was scheduled to generate electricity from April 9, and the latest development signals a likely delay in achieving that aim.

"Based on the recommendation of Russia, which is in charge of completing the Bushehr atomic power plant, the fuel inside the reactor core will be taken out for a while to conduct some experiments and technical work," Iran's envoy to the UN atomic watchdog, Ali Asghar Soltanieh, told the ISNA news agency.

"After the experiments, it will again be installed in the core of the reactor." He did not specify when the experiments would be completed.



Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iE5nW4xl75CK8Fhknjaa6o13Eo3A?docId=CNG.29a2ebdaf178435a5e82e857cf4725de.461

[bananas]

1. Congratulations to the whistleblowers for their courageous action on this!

And congratulations to all those who helped them get their message through!
:applause:

[SkyDaddy7]

2. I do not understand your comment?

What whistleblowers have to do with this story?

[bananas]

3. The Russian scientists working on site blew the whistle regarding extremely important safety issues

Here are some previous discussion threads:

On this 25th anniversary of the Challenger disaster - Russian scientists warn of 'Iranian Chernobyl'
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=228x75709

Whistleblower claims must be investigated, says acting head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=115x274748

Russian scientists warn of 'Iranian Chernobyl'
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php/http:/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=115x271202

Iran says Stuxnet claims need investigating
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4721872

Russia warns of ‘Iranian Chernobyl'
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4699020

(edit: swapped first two links)

[SkyDaddy7]

4. OK...Thank-you!!!

[Crowman1979]

5. Not surprised.

Seeing that anytime religious fanatics get their hands on something volatile, they disregard all safety procedures. Why do you think Al-Qaeda hasn't succeeded with using WMD? Because they act like its manna from heaven and think all mighty Allah will protect them from radiation or contamination. Hell, you wouldn't need to blow anything up to stop them. Just cause an accident.

[Ian David]

6. The reactor obstructs my view of Venus. n/t

[pampango]

7. Iran nuclear plant suffers setback

Source: Aljazeera

Iran has said it will remove fuel rods from its Russian-built Bushehr nuclear power plant, a move that is being seen as a major setback to the country's nuclear programme. The decision, announced on Saturday, comes just months before the facility, which is located in the southern city of Bushehr, was scheduled to go into operation to generate electricity.

"Based on the recommendation of Russia, which is in charge of completing the Bushehr atomic power plant, the fuel inside the reactor core will be taken out for a while to conduct some experiments and technical work," Ali Asghar Soltanieh, Iran's envoy to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said. "After the experiments, it will again be installed in the core of the reactor," he said in comments to the ISNA news agency, but he did not specify when the experiments would be completed.

Iran has given no reason for the unexpected fuel unloading, but there has been speculation that it could be connected with the Stuxnet computer worm that infected Iranian industrial software and facilities last year. in January, The New York Times reported that the computer worm was created by US and Israeli intelligence services to sabotage Iran's nuclear ambitions.

Western analysts have speculated on how damaging the fuel removal could be for Iran's nuclear programme. The New York Times quoted David A Lochbaum, a nuclear engineer at the Union of Concerned Scientists, as saying: "It could be simple and embarrassing all the way to 'game over'."

Read more: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/02/2011226135213774297.html

[bemildred]

8. Iran increases uranium stockpile, U.N. agency says

Reporting from Istanbul, Turkey —

Iran increased its stockpile of low-enriched uranium in recent months despite intense international pressure and claims that a computer virus had slowed its program, a report Friday by the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog agency indicates.

At the beginning of February, according to the report prepared for the board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Iran had nearly 8,000 pounds of uranium enriched to 3.5%, a quantity sufficient for about three nuclear weapons if further enriched to 90%.

The U.S. and its allies suspect Iran of seeking to develop atomic weapons; Iran contends that its program is for peaceful purposes only.

The production rate of low-enriched uranium has remained unchanged, the report reveals. However, analysts pointed out that the number of centrifuges said to be producing it has increased. That raised the possibility, according to David Albright of the Institute for Science and International Security, of ongoing production problems or continuing after-effects of the computer virus.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-iran-nuclear-20110226,0,7501099.story