Asia-Pacific

Iran injects fuel into first nuclear reactor

(Agencies)
Updated: 2010-10-26 21:20
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TEHRAN - Iran began loading fuel into the core of its first nuclear power plant on Tuesday, its atomic energy chief said, taking the last major step to realising its stated goal of becoming a peaceful user of nuclear energy.

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Officials said it showed Iran's nuclear plans were on track despite sanctions aimed at forcing it to curb uranium enrichment which many countries fear is aimed at developing atomic weapons.

"This day will be remembered ... because it was the day when fuel was lowered into the core of the reactor," Ali Akbar Salehi, head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation, said.

Amid great media fanfare, fuel rods were transported into the reactor building in August, but they were not inserted into its core and the plant's start-up was delayed due to what were described as minor technical problems.

At a much lower-key news conference, broadcast live from the plant on Iran's the Gulf coast, Salehi said it would take a further two months to complete the process of lowering 163 fuel assemblies into the core of the reactor and running tests. He said three fuel assemblies had been inserted so far.

The Russian-built 1,000-MW plant will feed Iran's first nuclear power into the national grid early next year, he said.

"If it were in Europe it would supply electricity to about 800,000 or 900,000 people," Ian Hore-Lacy, of the World Nuclear Association (WNA) industry body, said.

Officials have denied that the "Stuxnet" computer virus delayed the start-up, although it did infect some computers at Bushehr. Some analysts speculated the worm was designed by Iran's enemies to sabotage the nuclear programme.