Iran begins refueling Bushehr nuclear power plant

Head of Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant said here on Thursday that operations to inject fuel into the core of the reactor of the plant have already started, reported IRNA.

Addressing representatives of Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) who were inspecting the power plant late on Wednesday, he also said that the operations were conducted successfully.

"Safety is high and has the priority over speed for the start-up of the power plant," he noted.

The plant is under construction based on the latest standards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Russian standards, he said.

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 intense pressure exerted by the United States and its Western allies.

Russia finally completed the 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 the launch of the country's first nuclear reactor.

The facility operates under the full supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).


/AzerTAc/