Official: Construction of Arak Research Reactor Advancing Well

Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Fereidoon Abbasi announced that the country is making progress in the construction of the 40-megawatt research reactor in Iran’s central city of Arak (IR-40) as scheduled.

“We have a logical and rational trend in (construction of) Arak research reactor and we are preparing the reactor’s affiliated installations and facilities,” Abbasi said on the sidelines of the annual meeting of Iran’s nuclear managers here in Tehran on Saturday.

He said that Iran has prepared the installations and facilities, and added that the country had built the reactor’s chamber long ago and will soon start its installation.

Abbasi said that Iran will begin operating the facility in the next Iranian year (March 2013- March 2014).

He said that Iran has produces 150 batches of fuel for Arak reactor, and added that fuel rods are now ready to be transferred to the facility.

His remarks came after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) had said in a confidential report issued to member states late on Thursday that Iran has almost completed installation of cooling and moderator circuit piping in the heavy water plant near the town of Arak.

Iranian officials have said that the