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Iran's Bushehr nuclear plant connected to national grid | Iran's Bushehr nuclear plant connected to national grid |
(40 minutes later) | |
Iran's first nuclear power station has been connected to the country's electricity grid, state news reports. | Iran's first nuclear power station has been connected to the country's electricity grid, state news reports. |
Bushehr was supplying 60 megawatts of its 1,000 megawatt capacity to the national grid, officials said. | |
The reactor's generating unit began operating at a low level in May, prompting Israel and other nations to express fears the reactor could help Iran develop nuclear weapons. | The reactor's generating unit began operating at a low level in May, prompting Israel and other nations to express fears the reactor could help Iran develop nuclear weapons. |
Tehran says its intentions are purely peaceful. | Tehran says its intentions are purely peaceful. |
But the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has said it is "increasingly concerned" that Iran is also secretly working on components for a nuclear weapons programme. | But the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has said it is "increasingly concerned" that Iran is also secretly working on components for a nuclear weapons programme. |
Dogged by delays | Dogged by delays |
Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation said the plant in the country's south was connected to the national grid at 23:30 (19:00 GMT) on Saturday. | |
The connection had initially been scheduled for late last year but, as with developments at Bushehr since the project began in the 1970s, it was dogged by delays. | The connection had initially been scheduled for late last year but, as with developments at Bushehr since the project began in the 1970s, it was dogged by delays. |
Construction on the plant was abandoned after Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution until the mid-1990s, when Moscow reached a billion-dollar deal with Tehran to complete it. | Construction on the plant was abandoned after Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution until the mid-1990s, when Moscow reached a billion-dollar deal with Tehran to complete it. |
In February, Iran had to remove fuel from the reactor "for technical reasons", amid speculation that the Stuxnet computer virus may have been responsible. | In February, Iran had to remove fuel from the reactor "for technical reasons", amid speculation that the Stuxnet computer virus may have been responsible. |
The United States and other Western nations for years urged Russia to abandon the project, warning it could help Iran build atomic weapons. | The United States and other Western nations for years urged Russia to abandon the project, warning it could help Iran build atomic weapons. |
But an agreement obliging Tehran to repatriate spent nuclear fuel to Russia eased those concerns. | But an agreement obliging Tehran to repatriate spent nuclear fuel to Russia eased those concerns. |
In February, an IAEA report obtained by the BBC and made available online by the Institute for Science and International Security (Isis) - said Iran was "not implementing a number of its obligations." | In February, an IAEA report obtained by the BBC and made available online by the Institute for Science and International Security (Isis) - said Iran was "not implementing a number of its obligations." |
These included "clarification of the remaining outstanding issues which give rise to concerns about possible military dimensions to its nuclear programme". | These included "clarification of the remaining outstanding issues which give rise to concerns about possible military dimensions to its nuclear programme". |
Six world powers are negotiating with Iran over its nuclear programme, and the country is subject to United Nations Security Council sanctions over its refusal to halt uranium enrichment. | Six world powers are negotiating with Iran over its nuclear programme, and the country is subject to United Nations Security Council sanctions over its refusal to halt uranium enrichment. |
Enriched uranium can be used for civilian nuclear purposes, but also to build atomic bombs. | Enriched uranium can be used for civilian nuclear purposes, but also to build atomic bombs. |
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