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Iran to temporarily take over control of Bushehr nuclear plant

Iran Materials 22 September 2013 13:17 (UTC +04:00)
Iran will temporarily take over the control of its Bushehr nuclear power plant from Russia on Monday, IRNA reported.
Iran to temporarily take over control of Bushehr nuclear plant

Azerbaijan, Baku, Sep.22/ Trend F.Karimov/

Iran will temporarily take over the control of its Bushehr nuclear power plant from Russia on Monday, IRNA reported.

Under a protocol, the number of Russian contractors will be decreased after the take-over, but they will continue offering services during the guarantee period.

Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), Ali Akbar Salehi told IRNA that the nuclear plant has been in operation for 14 days before being handed over to Iran. During the period, the plant worked at 90 percent of its nominal capacity, i.e. 900 megawatts, he added.

He further said that the second unit of the nuclear plant will be constructed in the near future.

Previously, Salehi said that Bushehr nuclear power plant built by Russia is the most exceptional one in the world.

He said that 30-40 percent of the reactor's equipment is European, while 60-70 percent is Russian - a combination that made the reactor the most exceptional in the world.

Before the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran, Germany started building Bushehr NPP, but stopped after the revolution.

Iran and Russia signed an agreement in 1995 to repair and complete the 1000 megawatt reactor.

Bushehr NPP was launched in 2011, but it has been shut down several times due to 'technical problems and the need for more tests'.

Salehi said it has been three years since the launch of Bushehr, and Russia would likely hand over the plant operation to Iran in three months.

"According to the agreement, a year after delivering the operation of the reactor to Iran, the guarantee time expires. By that time we want to be sure about the quality of the Bushehr reactor because, a year after we get the operational responsibility, Iran should take over payment for any possible damage or problem," Salehi said.

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