Pre-launch stage of Bushehr power plant on September 12: FM
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Tehran, Sept 6, IRNA -- Iran’s first nuclear power plant in the Southern port city of Bushehr will enter its pre-launch phase in the presence of Russian Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko on September 12, the foreign minister said on Tuesday.
Ali Akbar Salehi made the remarks in an interview with IRNA.
He noted that Shmatko will travel to Tehran next Saturday or Sunday to attend the Bushehr power plant pre-launch ceremony.
“The head of Russia's Federal Agency for Atomic Energy could also attend the ceremony; The Bushehr nuclear power plant would be connected to the national grid next Monday,” Salehi added.
Iranian foreign minister named the Bushehr nuclear power plant, the advanced power plant among 57 Islamic states.
“Bushehr power plant will start working with its 40 percent capacity during the upcoming ceremony. The power plant will work under Russian experts’ supervision for a year before the final delivery to Iranian technicians.”
Salehi stressed that although western sanctions complicated the process of building the Bushehr nuclear power plant but it created a unique experience for Iranian experts to build the next power plants in future.
Iran signed a deal with Russia in 1995, according to which the plant was originally scheduled for completion in 1999. However, the project was repeatedly delayed by the Russian side due to the intense pressure exerted on Moscow by the United States and its western allies. Russia finally completed construction of the plant last summer.
On October 26, Iran started injecting fuel into the core of the Bushehr nuclear power plant in the initial phase of launching the nuclear reactor.
The facility operates under the full supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
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Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA NewsCode: 30551556
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