**BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 11.** The environmental surveys and geological tests for the construction of a nuclear power plant have started in Golestan province, located in the northeast of Iran, Iranian Vice President and chairman of the Atomic Energy Organization Mohammad Eslami said on December 11 at a meeting with the governor of Iran's Golestan province Ali-Asghar Tahmasbi, [Trend](http://en.trend.az) reports.
According to him, a suitable location for the construction of the nuclear power plant has been identified in Iran's Golestan province. Iran is taking serious steps to construct nuclear power plants with a capacity of 20,000 megawatts in the coastal areas of the country.
The Iranian Vice President noted that plans have also been made for the development of irradiation technology in Golestan province. The necessary steps have been taken in the northeast of the province to establish an irradiation center to serve agriculture and increase the shelf life of products in warehouses without using chemicals.
Eslami noted that to increase the use of nuclear technology in the field of health care and treatment, preliminary work has been carried out in Golestan province to sterilize disposable medical devices and consumables.
Governor of Golestan province Ali-Asghar Tahmasbi also stated in the meeting that the steps taken by the Atomic Energy Organization towards increasing the agricultural products grown in the province and aiding the health of the people are commendable.
To note, last year (2023) it was resolved to build a nuclear power plant in Iran with a production potential of 20,000 megawatts. In this regard, appropriate companies have been established in the country. Nowadays the works on the construction of NPPs continue in five provinces of Iran. It is expected that all plants will be commissioned by 2041.