Iraq Nuclear Authority Chief, "Discussing Nuclear Power Plant Construction with Korea, Russia, and Others"

"Plan to Build 8 Nuclear Reactors Worth 45 Trillion Won"
"KEPCO Denies Contact with Iraqi Officials"

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The head of the Iraq Nuclear Regulatory Authority (IRSRA) revealed in an interview with foreign media that discussions have taken place with countries possessing nuclear power plant technology, including South Korea and Russia, regarding the construction of nuclear power plants in Iraq, drawing significant attention. Iraq is currently aiming to build about eight nuclear power plants due to a severe power shortage, with the total construction scale estimated to be around $40 billion (approximately 45 trillion KRW).

On the 8th (local time), Kamal Hussein Latif, head of the Iraq Nuclear Regulatory Authority (IRSRA), stated in an interview with Bloomberg News, "We are planning to build nuclear power plants to resolve the power shortage in Iraq, and recently met with officials from South Korea and Russia, as well as representatives from their state-owned energy companies, to discuss nuclear power plant construction."

Latif emphasized, "The Iraqi cabinet is reviewing cooperation with Russia's state-owned nuclear company Rosatom for reactor construction," adding, "South Korea and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have also expressed their willingness to assist with Iraq's nuclear power plant construction this year and have even proposed site visits to nuclear facilities."

Currently, Iraq is suffering from a severe power shortage due to soaring electricity demand amid heatwaves exceeding 50 degrees Celsius, causing frequent blackouts and sparking anti-government protests in some areas, Bloomberg reported. Latif said, "To alleviate the power shortage and social unrest, we plan to build eight nuclear power plants capable of producing a total of 11 gigawatts (GW) of electricity by 2030," adding, "The total construction cost is expected to be around $40 billion."

Meanwhile, Bloomberg reported that Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) stated it has not yet committed to any cooperation with the Iraqi government regarding nuclear power plant construction. Bloomberg reported, "KEPCO denied knowledge of Iraq's reactor construction plans and said it has neither contacted Iraqi officials nor received any requests to initiate projects," adding, "Rosatom has not issued an immediate response."

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