China Nuclear Energy Industry Corporation and China Institute of Atomic Energy, two subsidiaries of China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), signed the first commercial contract with Iran Nuclear Engineering and Construction Company on the retrofit project of Arak heavy water reactor (IR-40) in Vienna, Austria on April 23. The ceremony took place in the presence of the ambassadors of China and Iran to Austria. 

The contract primarily concerns the conceptual design of retrofitting Arak heavy water reactor and the provision of consulting services for the preliminary sketch, requiring CNNC to accomplish the two tasks over the next eight months.

The contract marks the implementation period of the retrofit project at Arak heavy water reactor, according to the international agreement on Iran’s nuclear program signed in 2015.