Azernews.Az

Iran put the Bushehr nuclear power plant into operation a few days ago, RIA Novosti reported with reference to Head of Iranian Atomic Energy Organization Fereydoon Abbasi-Davani said.

"Bushehr nuclear power plant needed some technical inspection and testing, and we carried out them a couple of months ago. Three days ago, Bushehr nuclear power plant was put into operation at the capacity of 1,000 megawatts. And, fortunately, I have not been reported regarding any failures in its work," he said.

Tehran repeatedly has rejected safety concerns about the reactor, which began operations in 2011 after decades of delays. Iran and the Russian company that built Bushehr said it was not affected by the April earthquake.

Earlier this month Iran reported Bushehr nuclear power plant having some technical problems with its generator, however it was noted that there was "absolutely no link" between this problem at the Bushehr plant - which was shut down when U.N. nuclear inspectors went there in mid-May - and a powerful earthquake that shook the region two months ago.

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.

Physical start of Bushehr nuclear plant began under the control of the IAEA on August 21, 2010, when the delivery of the nuclear fuel to the reactor compartment station was carried out.

In May 2011, the works 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 the capability to develop nuclear weapons behind the facade of an atomic energy programme.

However, Iran says its nuclear programme is a peaceful bid to generate electricity and to produce medical isotopes.