Nuclear Sites
Arak
Arak is home to Iran’s heavy water production plant, which has been operational since 2006, and a heavy water reactor, which remains under construction. Its projected completion date is 2014. Iran originally intended to build a hot cell facility at Arak for the separation of “long-lived radioisotopes,” believed to be a euphemism for plutonium, but in 2004 Iran informed the IAEA that it was abandoning that plan. It is expected to build hot cells to separate shorter-lived radioisotopes, such as cobalt-60 and iridium-192, for civilian applications.
Arak Heavy Water Production Plant at Khondab
Arak Hot Cells
Iran has denied that it intends to build a plant to separate plutonium from IR-40 spent fuel. However, Iran originally declared to the IAEA that there were plans to construct a building at the Arak site with hot cells for the production of long-lived radioisotopes, interpreted to mean plutonium. Iran stated that they were planning to build hot cells for the production of “short lived” isotopes, and that it intended to construct the additional hot cells to produce “long lived” radioisotopes. In May 2004, however, Iran revised its declaration for Arak, and eliminated plans to construct any hot cells for long-lived isotopes.
Arak IR-40 Heavy Water Reactor
site imagery
|
Date: Oct 07, 2008
Photo Type: Satellite 
|
Date: Feb 25, 2007
Photo Type: Satellite 
|
Date: Mar 26, 2006
Photo Type: Satellite 
|
Date: Feb 25, 2005
Photo Type: Satellite 
|
|
Date: Feb 29, 2004
Photo Type: Satellite 
|
Date: Sep 26, 2002
Photo Type: Satellite 
|