Iran`s nuclear plant launch delayed

The construction of Bushehr has taken more than three decades and has been dogged by delays.

Moscow: The full capacity launch of Iran`s Bushehr nuclear power plant, the first in the country, may be rescheduled to June from May, a Russian official said.

"An approval from the Iranian party to launch (the plant) at 100 percent capacity has not yet been received. This phase is most likely to be postponed to June from late May," said a source in Russia`s civilian nuclear power corporation Rosatom.

Under a bilateral agreement approved by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Russia will operate the plant, supply its fuel and take away all the spent fuel for the next two or three years, but will eventually hand over full control to Iran.

The construction of Bushehr has taken more than three decades and has been dogged by delays. Russia signed a contract with Iran in February 1998 to complete the plant, which German companies first began back in 1975.

IANS

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