TEHRAN (FNA)- Head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization Fereidoon Abbasi said the country's first nuclear power plant in the Southern port city of Bushehr will start power generation at full capacity within the next few weeks.
"The Bushehr plant, located along the Persian Gulf coast, will reach its full capacity of 1,000 megawatts by February 1," Abbasi said.
The plant was connected to the country's electric grid in September with a capacity of 60 megawatts. At 1,000 megawatts, Bushehr will be able to provide 2.5% of Iran's current electricity consumption.
Abbasi made the announcement about Bushehr while attending a meeting on Iran's nuclear achievements held in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas.
He told the meeting that Tehran had shown the new generation of its homemade centrifuge machines to the IAEA "in a bid to demonstrate the ability of Iranian scientists," he said.
Abbasi said the centrifuges, which are used to enrich uranium, were shown to the deputy of IAEA, Director-General Yukiya Amano.
The construction of Bushehr - a civilian, not military, plant - started in 1975 when Germany signed a contract with Iran. Germany, however, pulled out of the project following the 1979 revolution.
Iran then signed a deal with Russia in 1995, under which the plant was originally scheduled to be completed in 1999, but the project was delayed repeatedly. Bushehr finally opened in August 2010.
Abbasi further announced Tehran's preparedness to export nuclear services to the friendly countries, specially the African nations.
"At present we are capable of exporting nuclear services to the friendly countries in Africa which own considerable uranium resources," he said.
Noting that Iran's name has already been registered as an exporter of nuclear parts to the other countries, he also underlined Tehran's readiness to export heavy water byproducts.
Abbasi had also announced a few months ago that Iran was ready to export enriched uranium, build uranium enrichment plants abroad and advise countries importing nuclear power plants on how to write contracts protecting their rights.
"The Bushehr plant, located along the Persian Gulf coast, will reach its full capacity of 1,000 megawatts by February 1," Abbasi said.
The plant was connected to the country's electric grid in September with a capacity of 60 megawatts. At 1,000 megawatts, Bushehr will be able to provide 2.5% of Iran's current electricity consumption.
Abbasi made the announcement about Bushehr while attending a meeting on Iran's nuclear achievements held in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas.
He told the meeting that Tehran had shown the new generation of its homemade centrifuge machines to the IAEA "in a bid to demonstrate the ability of Iranian scientists," he said.
Abbasi said the centrifuges, which are used to enrich uranium, were shown to the deputy of IAEA, Director-General Yukiya Amano.
The construction of Bushehr - a civilian, not military, plant - started in 1975 when Germany signed a contract with Iran. Germany, however, pulled out of the project following the 1979 revolution.
Iran then signed a deal with Russia in 1995, under which the plant was originally scheduled to be completed in 1999, but the project was delayed repeatedly. Bushehr finally opened in August 2010.
Abbasi further announced Tehran's preparedness to export nuclear services to the friendly countries, specially the African nations.
"At present we are capable of exporting nuclear services to the friendly countries in Africa which own considerable uranium resources," he said.
Noting that Iran's name has already been registered as an exporter of nuclear parts to the other countries, he also underlined Tehran's readiness to export heavy water byproducts.
Abbasi had also announced a few months ago that Iran was ready to export enriched uranium, build uranium enrichment plants abroad and advise countries importing nuclear power plants on how to write contracts protecting their rights.

