Azerbaijan, Baku Aug. 28 / Trend, N. Umid /
Iran will take over operational responsibility of the Bushehr nuclear power plant from the Russian contractor in new future, head of the Bushehr NPP, Hossein Derakhshandeh said, Fars news agency reported.
He went on to note that Iranian employees of the Bushehr NPP have achieved the necessary experience from the Russian contractor and have been permitted to work on the maintenance of the NPP. He also said that Iran plans to provide clean electric energy by launching Bushehr NPP.
Some media outlets reported that Bushehr nuclear power plant's first phase will be officially launched and delivered to Iran in a few weeks citing Iranian officials.
Construction of the nuclear power plant in Bushehr was started in 1974 by the German Kraftwerk Union AG (Siemens / KWU) concern.
In August 1992, an agreement was signed between the governments of Russia and Iran on the construction of a nuclear power plant and in January 1995 a contract was signed in order to complete the construction of the first power unit of the plant.
The actual start date of the Bushehr nuclear plant began under the control of the IAEA on August 21, 2010, when delivery of nuclear fuel to the reactor compartment station was carried out.
In May 2011 work on bringing the nuclear steam generating plant to the minimum controlled level of power were carried out on the power unit.
The West suspects Iran is seeking to enhance the capability to develop nuclear weapons behind the facade of an atomic energy programme.
Bushehr is not considered a major proliferation risk by the West whose fears are focused on sites where Iran has defied global pressure and Russian approved U.N. sanctions by enriching uranium beyond the levels needed to fuel power plants.
Iran says its nuclear programme is a peaceful bid to generate electricity and to produce medical isotopes.