Russia provides Iran with fuel for nuclear power plant in Bushehr

Iran has received Russian fuel for the nuclear power plant in Bushehr, the BBC reports.

Russia provided 30 tons of nuclear fuel. The first power block of the plant was launched with a minimum output on Tuesday. A spokesman for the Iranian Organization for Nuclear Energy Hamid Hadem Kaemi said that the fuel portion will keep the plant running for a year.

Atomstroyexport said on Sunday that a nuclear reaction was in the first power block. The power plant will be tested for proper functioning of systems.

Iran said last year that the launching of the power plant was scheduled for December. Russian specialists requested postponing of the launch to remove possible metal particles from the fuel system in February. The plant was relaunched in April.

Construction of the nuclear power plant in Bushehr started in 1974. Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi hired Siemens to for construction. The company abandoned the project in 1979 during the Islamic Revolution.

Iran signed an agreement with Russia in 1992. The deal is worth $1 billion. 

Construction started in 1995. The power plant was to be launched in July 1999.