'Iran building 3 power plants with Russian help'

Iranian Energy Minister Hamid Chitchian announced on Tuesday that the country is constructing three new power plants, including the two nuclear power plants, in cooperation with Russian experts.

"We have two active projects that are done in cooperation with Russia; one of them is the project whose contract has been signed between the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) and Russia and includes building two 1,000-MW nuclear power plants are due to be built," Chitchian said.

"Another active project is also underway between the energy ministry and Moscow to construct a 1,400-MW power plant in Hormozgan Province near the Persian Gulf," he said, adding that the construction works of the power plant have already started.

His remarks came days after AEOI chief Ali Akbar Salehi announced that construction of two new nuclear power plants in the country will start in the near future.

"We have inked contracts for building two (nuclear) power plants," Salehi said, addressing the AEOI personnel and managers in Tehran on Saturday.

Also, in February, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak underlined that Moscow is eager to finalize contracts with Iran and also help the country build several more power plants.

He reiterated that Iran plans large-scale construction of power plants and Russia may receive a significant share in building contracts of such power plants.

EA