The deputy of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) has dismissed as baseless the rumors about possible radiation leaks at Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) following an earthquake in the southern parts of the country.


“Bushehr nuclear power plant has been constructed to withstand an eight Richter magnitude earthquake near the plant,” Mohammad Ahmadian said on Sunday.


“Bushehr NPP has been designed based on the most advanced and strict international regulations,” Ahmadian said, adding that Iran's Nuclear Safety System Center, which is under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has overseen the safety of the power plant during its construction.

Given the magnitude of the recent earthquake and the roughly 100-kilometer distance between the epicenter of the quake and the site of Bushehr nuclear facility, Ahmadian said, “It is natural that the quake would not create any problems for the Bushehr NPP.”

A strong earthquake measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale struck the town of Kaki, some 90 kilometers southeast of Bushehr on April 9. At least 37 people were killed and more than 1,050 others were injured.

Ahmadian made the remarks after the [Persian] Gulf Cooperation Council called on the IAEA to "send a specialized technical team to inspect the Bushehr nuclear plant and investigate potential damage.”

The Iranian official said there were systems inside the plant that would disconnect it from the national grid and turn off the reactor in case of a strong earthquake.

Bushehr nuclear power plant officially began its operations in September 2011, generating electricity at 40 percent of its capacity.

The 1000-megawatt plant, which is operating under the full supervision of the IAEA, reached its maximum power generation capacity in August 2012.

Iran and Russia have assured the international community that the plant is fully compliant with high-level safety standards and IAEA safeguards.

News ID 184598