Chain Of New Generation Centrifuges Becomes Operational

Tehran, Feb 16, IRNA – Chain of new generation centrifuges came stream at Natanz nuclear site on Wednesday during a video-conference ceremony attended by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. IRNA reporter covering the event at Natanz site said that the chain centrifuges were launched at Separating Working Unit 6. The new generation of centrifuges has three-fold higher capacity compared to the former generations. The new enrichment machines have high capacity for separating refined uranium, and made up from lesser number of parts compared to the former models. The enrichment machines enjoy indigenous technology which shows that Iran is self-sufficient in manufacturing spare parts. The composite rotors have been installed for motion of the machines instead of metal rotors. Installation of the new generation centrifuges will help boost the quantity of 3.5 percent enriched uranium by 50 percent. The installation was the second achievement of nuclear industry unveiled by the President on Wednesday after loading 20 percent fuel produced by Iran into Tehran Medical Research Reactor whose output is medicines for cancer patients. Iran was obliged to produce 20 percent fuel for Tehran Medical Research Reactor after the International Atomic Energy Agency failed to honor its commitment envisaged by its Charter to provide fuel to nuclear facilities of its member states. Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi, Secretary of Supreme National Security Council Saeed Jalili, Vice-President and head of Atomic Organization of Iran Fereydoun Abbasi, President's special aide Mojtaba Samareh Hashemi and Vice-President for Science and Technology Nasrin Soltankhah were present at the video-conference ceremony. Tehran-based diplomatic corps including ambassadors of Russia and China and families of the martyred scientists were persent in the ceremony. Meanwhile, Abbasi told reporters that the capacity of Bushehr power plant rose to 75 percent of nominal capacity from 50 percent. He said that the breakthrough was made on the occasion of anniversary of triumph of the Islamic Revolution according to which the electricity output rose to 1,600 megawatts from 700 megawatts./end