Iran's First Nuclear Power Plant Expected to be Commissioned Next Year

According to Itar-Tass news agency, Russia and Iran reached an agreement on the completion date of the Bushehr nuclear power plant on the 26th. The Iranian nuclear power plant that Russia participated in the construction will be put into use in September 2007.

Shmatko, president of Rosatom Export Corporation, said at a press conference that day that Gholam-Reza Aghazadeh, the Vice President of Iran and Chairman of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, who led the delegation to visit, met with the Russian Federation on the 25th and 26th. Atomic Energy Agency Administrator Kiriyenko held a meeting.

The two parties finally signed a supplementary agreement to the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant Construction Contract. According to the agreement, Russia will provide Iran with the nuclear fuel needed for the nuclear power plant in March 2007. The nuclear power plant will be put into use in September of that year and start generating electricity in November. He also revealed that the first batch of nuclear fuel provided by Russia will include 163 heat-releasing devices with low-purity enriched uranium, with a total weight of 80 tons.

Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant is Iran's first nuclear power plant with a designed installed capacity of 1,000 megawatts. The Russian and Iranian governments signed an agreement in 1992 for Russia to build a light-water reactor for a nuclear power plant. However, the start date for Russia's reactor construction has been repeatedly delayed. The United States has always opposed nuclear cooperation between Russia and Iran on the grounds that Iran may use nuclear technology and related materials to develop nuclear weapons.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mottaki said on the 25th that talks between Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Larijani and the European Union's high representative for foreign affairs and security affairs Solana are expected to be held in the near future.