Russian Minister: Iran's Bushehr N. Plant Progressing Well
News number: 880915050115:44 | 2009-12-06Nuclear
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=8809150501

TEHRAN (FNA)- The final stage of construction of Iran's Bushehr nuclear
power plant is moving forward at a good pace, Russian Energy Minister Sergei
Shmatko said on Saturday.

Shmatko made the remark in a meeting with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir
Putin.

In the meeting, Shmatko briefed Putin on his recent visit to Iran, where he
visited the Bushehr facility and participated in a meeting of the
Russian-Iranian intergovernmental commission on trade and economic
cooperation.

Shmatko toured the reactor site earlier this week with Ali Akbar Salehi, the
new head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, the Islamic republic
news agency reported.

Following his inspection, the Russian energy minister said he expected the
plant to be ready soon.

Electricity generation in the powerplant is expected to begin in the first
quarter of 2010.

During the meeting with Putin, Shmatko discussed the approaches of the
Russian delegation at the forthcoming meeting in Qatar of the Gas Exporting
Countries Forum.

Prior to his Tehran visit, Shmatko had told a press conference in Moscow
that Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant will be operational based on the schedule
per an agreement with the Iranian officials and there is no problem with the
Iranian party in that concern.

He had said works are progressing well and systems are tested in Bushehr
Power Plant.