Bushehr nuclear plant refueled, ready to resume ops
Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant is ready to resume operations
after being reloaded with fuel, Press TV reported.
On Monday, the refueling operation was conducted in the presence of
experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
On November 18, Iranian Ambassador to the IAEA Ali Asghar Soltanieh
said the removal of the fuel had been a "very normal technical
procedure" related to the transfer of responsibility for the
plant's operation from Russia to Iran.
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.
In September 2011, the Bushehr nuclear power plant officially began
its operations, generating electricity at 40 percent of its
capacity.
The 1000-megawatt plant, which is operating under the full
supervision of the IAEA, reached its maximum power generation
capacity for the first time on August 30, 2012.
Iran and Russia have assured the international community that the
plant is fully compliant with high-level safety standards.