Tehran, Sep 12 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Iran Monday held the official opening ceremony of its first nuclear power plant at Bushehr that was completed with Russia's assistance.


The first unit at Bushehr has capacity to generate 1,000 megawatts.

The power plant will initially work at 40 percent capacity under the supervision of Russian experts. Officials said the plant could reach 100 percent of its generating capacity by the end of 2011.

Under a bilateral agreement, approved by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Russia will operate the plant, supply fuel and take away the spent fuel for the next two or three years, but will eventually hand over full control to Iran.

The construction of Bushehr took more than three decades and was dogged by delays.

Russia signed a contract with Iran in February 1995 to complete the plant, which German companies first began back in 1975.

Russian Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko and head of the Russian Federal Atomic Energy Agency (Rosatom) Sergei Kiriyenko attended Monday's ceremony.