IR-40 is an Iranian 40 megawatt (thermal) heavy water reactor under construction in Arak.[1] While the basic design was completed in 2002, the IAEA was informed on May 5, 2003 that construction would begin in June 2004. The reactor was originally going to be constructed at a location in Esfahan, though after the designs were completed, the Iranian leadership decided to build instead at its present location in Arak.[2] In August 2006, mixed reports came out about when the reactor would go into operation, one stating that the plant would start up in 2009, while another reported that operation would be postponed until 2011.[3] Some reports have even put the date for the commencement of operation as far back as 2013.[4]
In full operation, it is expected that the reactor will produce from 10 kilograms (22 lb) to 12 kilograms (26 lb) of plutonium a year within its spent nuclear fuel, enough for two nuclear weapons a year if the spent fuel was reprocessed. Iran is also constructing hot cells at the IR-40, which could be used for nuclear reprocessing. Aspects of IR-40's design will also serve as a prototyping and testbed for the larger 336 megawatt Darkhovin Nuclear Power Plant under construction near Ahvaz. The IAEA has reported that it found no indication of ongoing reprocessing activities,[5] but also that Iran has denied access to the IR-40 for design information verification, despite the IAEA's right to conduct such verification.[6] Iran states that the reactor will only be used for R&D, medical and industrial isotope production.[3] On June 16, 2010 Iran announced plans to fabricate fuel for the Tehran Research Reactor by September 2011 and to build a new 20 MW reactor for radioisotope production within five years.[7][8]
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Iran's leadership decided to begin designing IR-40 in the 1980s, amid concerns that their plans at uranium enrichment would fail. After Iran was unable to get a reactor from abroad, they allegedly received blueprints for a research reactor from Russia, which they used to domestically design the larger IR-40 reactor. The current Iranian research reactor, TRR, is nearing the end of its operational life having been in use since 1967.[3][9]
While Iran claims that IR-40 will be used solely for research and development, production of both short and long lived radioisotopes, and training; there are some proliferation concerns about the reactor's ability to produce enough plutonium for several nuclear weapons each year.
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