Rosatom: Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant is operational; Russia to increase gas supply to China

Pars Today – The head of the state-owned company Rosatom stated that the Bushehr nuclear power plant is currently operational.

Alexey Likhachov, head of the state-owned company Rosatom, told the Russian media on Tuesday that the Bushehr nuclear power plant has so far produced over 75 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity.

According to Pars Today, citing IRNA, Likhachov was asked whether recent developments—namely, the military aggression by Israel and the U.S.—have affected the construction of units two and three of the Bushehr plant. He replied: “No, these events have had no impact on the process, and the construction of the new units is proceeding normally.”

Russia to increase gas supply to China

Russian state news agencies reported that Gazprom has agreed to increase gas supplies to China through an existing pipeline and has signed a memorandum of understanding to construct the major “Power of Siberia 2” pipeline.

Alexey Miller, CEO of state-owned Gazprom, told Russian news agencies on Tuesday that an agreement has been reached to raise supplies via the current Power of Siberia pipeline, which runs from Eastern Siberia to China, from 38 billion cubic meters per year to 44 billion cubic meters per year.

Miller announced that Russia and China have also signed a contract to construct the “Power of Siberia 2” pipeline, which will be capable of transporting 50 billion cubic meters of gas annually from the Bovanenkovo and Kharasavey gas fields on the Yamal Peninsula to China via Mongolia.

This move comes as Russia, having lost a significant share of the European market due to sanctions following the 2022 Ukraine conflict, seeks to expand its energy relations with China.