Iran Now Capable of Nuclear Power Generation

Iran Now Capable of Nuclear Power Generation, Says Minister

Jul 13 - BBC Monitoring Middle East

Iran is now capable of nuclear power generation, marking a colossal overhaul in its industry sector, Minister of Industries and Mines Eshaq Jahangiri said in this city near Tehran Tuesday [13 July].

"At present, technical capacity in the field of electricity generation from nuclear energy has been built and we hope that it will be used in a favourable way," he said.

According to Jahangiri, a colossal overhaul is in the making in Iran's industry sector, which entails renovation and rebuilding of the sector.

The minister reiterated Iran's legitimate right to nuclear power generation, which is contended by some circles, including the United States, which claims Tehran's nuclear programme is a prelude to building an atomic bomb.

Iran says its nuclear programme is in accordance with the country's bid to produce 7,000 MW of electricity in the next 20 years, when the country's oil and gas reserves become overstretched.

Iran has been working on building a full nuclear fuel cycle and has already announced that it can produce nuclear fuel by its own.

Actual nuclear power generation, however, is expected to take place when a plant, being built with Russia's help, becomes operational in the southern city of Bushehr.

Russian officials have said that the project, worth 800m dollars, will come on stream by the end of 2005.

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