The head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization (AEO), Gholam-Reza Aqazadeh, and his visiting Russian counterpart -- Rosatom chief Sergei Kiriyenko -- toured the Bushehr nuclear facility on Wednesday morning while experts inserted the first dummy fuel rods.
Foreign and local journalists had full access to the various sections of the nuclear facility and filmed freely, Press TV correspondent Gisoo Misha Ahmadi reported from the site.
Nuclear expert Mohsen Shirazi told reporters that officials have begun inserting 'dummy fuel rods' at the Bushehr facility.
"The Insertion of dummy fuel rods will enable us to simulate the first cycle's Hydraulic conditions for hot and cold tests," he explained.
According to Shirazi, the difference between the current tests and those previously conducted is that the 'dummy fuel rods' are filled with lead instead of virtual fuel.
If the procedure is successful, nuclear experts will schedule a date to insert real fuel rods.
The Bushehr plant, situated near the Persian Gulf, is the country's first nuclear power generation facility.
The nuclear power plant, which was built in a joint project with Moscow, has no military purpose as all of its activities are carried out under the 24-hour surveilance of its Russian fuel suppliers and inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency.
The plant will run on Russian fuel, which is delivered to Iran in containers sealed and inspected by the UN nuclear watchdog.
Aqazadeh and Kiriyenko are expected to announce when the plant will go into full operation in a press conference later in the day.
Jl. HOS Cokroaminoto 110, Menteng, Jakarta
10310
Phone : +62-21-31931378, 31931391, Fax : +62-21-3107860
E-mail : irembjkt@indo.net.id