Azerbaijan, Baku, Sept. 12 /Trend/
Iranian experts took lessons from the Fukushima NPP disaster for strgengthening the safety of the Bushehr nuclear power plant, and could provide premium safety of the plant, Head of the Iran's Atomic Energy Organization Fereidoon Abbasi-Davani said at the inauguration ceremony of the Bushehr NPP Monday, Press TV reported.
"I would like to thank many of those involved in this major project both management and engineering teams," he said.
This project symbolizes the cooperation between the Iranian government and the Parliament, Abbasi-Davani added. "This project was accomplished through the common efforts and mutual respect and interest," he said.
"Safety of the Bushehr NPP is Iran's top priority and neighboring countries, in particular the Guld countries should not worry about any disaster such as explosion at Japan nuclear plant," Abbasi-Davani added. "Bushehr's safety is quite high. Our specialists and Russian experts possess large expereince in the field of nuclear safety and energy production. Iran is prepared to share experience with neighboring countries."
Abbasi-Davani noted that Iran seeks to expand the science further and to increase the maximum capacity of the newly opened plant.
A pre-launch ceremony of the Bushehr nuclear power plant (NPP) kicked off officially in Iran today.
Iran's FM Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of the Atomic Energy Organization Fereidoon Abbasi- Davani, Energy Minister Majid Namjou, Russian Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko and the head of Russia's Nuclear Energy Agency Sergei Kiriyenko attends the ceremony held for pre-launch of Bushehr nuclear power plant.
Bushehr NPP has been connected to Iran's electricity network on Sept. 4 and has supplied about 60 megawatt of electricity to the country's electric network since its connection to the grid.
The design production capacity of Bushehr NPP is 1,000 megawatt of electricity. The initial production capacity is 350-450 megawatt of electricity, but the production rate is expected to reach 900 -1,000 megawatt in three months.
Salehi announced Sunday the plant will soon be disconnected from the grid for the inspection of the equipment and additional testing. After testing the reactor will be speeded up again and put into the operation at the maximum capacity.
Bushehr is the first nuclear power plant in Iran and throughout the Middle East. The plant began to be built by the German Kraftwerk Union in 1974. In 1980 the contract was terminated during the Western German government's accession to the U.S. embargo on supplying equipment to Iran.
On Aug. 25, 1992, Russia and Iran signed an agreement to continue construction of the nuclear power plant. In January 1995, a contract to complete work on the first power unit was signed, and in 1998 construction management was transferred to AtomStroyExport.
Initially, construction of the station was planned for completion in 1999. Later, the deadlines were repeatedly postponed due to financial and technological challenges.