Iran Plans To Have 50,000 Centrifuges At Natanz In 5 Years

[Purveyor]

TEHRAN, February 25 (RIA Novosti) - Iran's nuclear chief said on Wednesday the Islamic Republic had 6,000 operating centrifuges at a uranium enrichment facility at Natanz and was planning to install a total of 50,000 over the next five years.

"We have 6,000 working centrifuges at present and we are planning to increase their number next year," Vice President Gholamreza Aghazadeh, who is also the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, said.

He reiterated that the Islamic Republic would continue pursuing nuclear technology to generate electricity, despite international demands to halt its controversial nuclear program.

"We have a plan for the next five years. It envisions the installation of 50,000 centrifuges over this period," he said.

"It is time for the West and the U.S. to acknowledge and accept the fact that Iran is a nuclear power. Even if they refuse to do so, Iran will remain a nuclear power," Aghazadeh added.

Iran is under three sets of relatively mild UN Security Council sanctions over its nuclear program. Western powers led by the United States, along with Israel, accuse Tehran of attempting to develop nuclear weapons.

MORE...

RIA NOVOSTI: http://en.rian.ru/world/20090225/120306698.html

[Double T]

1. I thought their nuclear weapons project had to br completed by 2012.

[SheilaT]

2. How big is a centrifuge?

I'm trying to imagine 50,000 of anything, and wondering how they will be serviced and so on.

[ConcernedCanuk]

3. Lots of images here

.
.
.

http://images.google.ca/images?q=centrifuge+uranium&gbv=2&hl=en&safe=off&sa=2

[SheilaT]

4. Thank you.

I had thought they were great big huge things. Now I know better.

[bemildred]

5. Well, it's ten times bigger than a millifuge. nt

[xocet]

6. Pat, please give me an 'R'!

That would be correct only if it were spelled "centifuge."

[bemildred]

7. Millrefuge?

Personally I like "Terrafuge", but there's no end to it really.