Location: Natanz Enrichment Plant
Subordinate to: Uranium enrichment
Size: Commercial scale enrichment facility
Primary Function: Uranium enrichment

Description:

The Fuel Enrichment Plant (FEP) at Natanz, is Iran's planned main enrichment facility. Natanz is also the site of the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant (PFEP), a test facility before industrial scale enrichment takes place at the FEP. During his February 2003 visit, the International Atomic Energy Agency's Director General learned that the Fuel Enrichment Plant (FEP) at Natanz, when completed would house 50,000 centrifuges at full operational capacity. While the FEP was scheduled to be completed in 2005, as per the last design information verification carried out by the IAEA in June 2006, construction work still continues at the FEP facility. The IAEA received updated design information from Iran for the FEP on 8 February 2006. Also, as per latest IAEA reports, equipment such as process tanks and an autoclave are being currently moved into the FEP and it is estimated that the installation of the first 3000 P-1 centrifuge machines at the FEP is planned for the fourth quarter of 2006. However, at the present time the number of complete centrifuges in Iran's possession is yet uncertain.

It is estimated that once completed, the FEP operating at full capacity (50,000 centrifuges) will have the potential to produce at a minimum, 500kg of weapons-grade uranium per year.

Key Sources:
[1] "Implementation of the NPT Safeguards Agreement in the Islamic Republic of Iran," International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), 6 June 2003, p. 6.
[2] David Albright and Corey Hinderstein, "Iran, Player or Rogue," Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, September/October 2003, p. 57.
[3] "Implementation of the NPT Safeguards Agreement in the Islamic Republic of Iran," International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), 26 August 2003, p. 7.
[4] "Implementation of NPT Safeguards Agreement in the Islamic Republic of Iran," International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), 2 September 2005. p. 12, 13.
[5] "Implementation of NPT Safeguards Agreement in the Islamic Republic of Iran," International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), 27 February 2006. p. 8, 9.
[6] "Implementation of NPT Safeguards Agreement in the Islamic Republic of Iran," International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), 8 June 2006. p. 2, 3.

	Updated November 2006