Iran and Russia signed a handover contract that in effect put Iranian technicians temporarily in charge of the 1,000-megawatt power plant.

Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi said on Monday that during a recent Iran-Russia joint economic commission, the two sides agreed to construct new nuclear power plants.

He also expressed hope that the construction of the second unit of the Bushehr nuclear power plant would be underway in the near future.

On September 13, the AEOI head said that the Bushehr plant’s 14-day test period will come to an end on September 24, adding that the reactor must be functioning at 90 percent capacity and generating at least 900 megawatts of electricity during the two-week period.

However, Salehi underlined, if the output drops below this level, the plant will need to go through another trial period.

The AEOI head stated that the facility has undergone different test operations over the past two years since fuel injection into its core began, adding that this is the final testing period.

Salehi said earlier that Russian experts would remain in Bushehr as part of a guarantee scheme for the operation.

The Bushehr nuclear power plant became officially operational and was connected to Iran’s national grid in September 2011, generating electricity at 40 percent capacity.

NJF/NJF