Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant to open this march
Foreign Ministry spokesman, Mohammad-Ali Hosseini said that Bushehr nuclear power plant is due to be commissioned in 2008 summer. Bushehr nuclear power plant is built with Russia’s assistance and Russian second consignment of nuclear fuel has already arrived in Iran. The Bushehr plant which is being constructed strictly in compliance with international requirements and under IAEA control, will at first operate at half-capacity. By March 2009, the plant is expected to operate in full capacity.
The first consignment of the nuclear fuel was delivered by Russia to Iran on December 17 and the second cargo arrived in the country on December 28.
The Bushehr nuclear power plant will initially require around 82 tons. The fuel is going to be delivered to Iran in eight consignments from Russia within two months.
The 1,000-megawatt light-water reactor was conceived during Iranian Shah’s regime. As per Iranian news agency IRNA, Iranian National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Kazem Jalali said that Iran will float a tender for 19 new nuclear power plants with 1,000 megawatts of electricity output from each plant.