Russia Prepares Final Evacuation of Over 200 Personnel From Iran’s Bushehr Nuclear Plant

MOSCOW, April 3: Russia is preparing for what it described as the “final wave of evacuations” from Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, with more than 200 personnel expected to be relocated, according to statements attributed to Alexey Likhachev and reported by the state-run agency TASS.

The head of Russia’s nuclear agency Rosatom said a small number of “volunteers” may remain to operate the facility, and that Moscow would seek a ceasefire arrangement involving the United States and Israel to facilitate the evacuation process. He also noted reports of fire incidents at the site, while the International Atomic Energy Agency said there has been no damage to the reactor or any radiological release.

The Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, built with Russian assistance and connected to Iran’s grid in 2011, operates a pressurized-water reactor capable of producing up to 1,000 megawatts of electricity, supplying a small portion of the country’s overall power demand.