TEHRAN, July 24 (RIA Novosti) - The nuclear power plant being built by Russians in Bushehr, southern Iran, is more than 90% complete, Iran's official news agency IRNA quoted the Iranian project leader as saying.
"The process of building the Bushehr NPP is 93.6% finished, and it will be ready to go on line after nuclear fuel is delivered from Russia," Mahmoud Jafari said.
"The plant should be launched on schedule in September-October of this year," he said.
The $1-billion project, implemented under the supervision of the UN nuclear watchdog, has suffered repeated delays, and Russian contractor Atomstroyexport threatened to suspend the project earlier in the year, saying Tehran was not keeping up with payments. However, some Iranian officials have blamed the Russian side for the delays.
Mahmoud Jafari said Iran has satisfied all Atomstroyexport's financial requirements.
Atomstroyexport is building Iran's first nuclear power plant under a 1995 agreement. The Islamic Republic has been a focus of international attention, as Western nations and Israel suspect it of a clandestine atomic weapons program, but Iran says it needs nuclear technology for electricity only.
