Bushehr nuclear power plant among world’s top 10: Iran's nuclear chief

Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant ranks among the world’s top 10 nuclear facilities in safety and efficiency, says the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI).

According to Mohammad Eslami, Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant has received a perfect score for three consecutive years.

“The condition of Bushehr is excellent, and it has earned a score of 100 out of 100 for the third year in a row,” he said.

He also noted that Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant had surpassed 80 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity generation.

Eslami described the milestone as evidence of the plant’s reliability and long-term contribution to the country’s energy sector.

“This is a major achievement that shows it is possible to stand firm and fulfill commitments under any circumstances,” Eslami was quoted as saying.

He added that the facility provides stable electricity to southern Iran and demonstrates the role of nuclear energy in ensuring a dependable power supply.

The AEOI chief said nuclear power generated at Bushehr is a clean and sustainable source of electricity.

“Nuclear electricity is a safe and stable form of energy with zero emissions,” he said, noting that producing the same amount of power with fossil fuels would have required the consumption of about 130 million barrels of oil.

Eslami estimated that the plant has generated economic savings equivalent to roughly $10 billion in less than 11 years, compared with an initial investment of around $1.87 billion.

He said the facility has already returned several times its original cost and still has an expected operational lifespan of about 50 years.

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He also said construction of Bushehr Units 2 and 3 continued despite wartime conditions and was never suspended.

According to him, as many as 5,500 workers were employed on the projects during peak construction periods.

Referring to Iran’s long-term nuclear energy plans, Eslami said the country aims to reach 20,000 megawatts of nuclear generating capacity over the next two decades.

He added that the two new Bushehr units are expected to be completed by 1410 in the Iranian calendar (2031), with plans to inaugurate one or two new nuclear facilities each year thereafter.

During the US-Israeli aggression against Iran, the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant came under repeated attacks between March 18 and March 30.

Officials reported at least three separate strikes on or near the facility, including impacts within the plant’s perimeter and auxiliary structures.

On March 18, a structure about 350 meters from the reactor was reportedly destroyed, while later incidents on March 24 and March 27 struck the site again.

Iranian authorities said the plant remained operational throughout, with no radiation leakage or major disruption.

Tehran condemned the attacks as dangerous escalations targeting civilian nuclear infrastructure and warned of severe regional consequences.

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