Iran set to load fuel to core of first atomic plant

[n2doc]

TEHRAN, Oct. 25, 2010 (Reuters) — Iran will move closer to the start-up of its first nuclear power plant on Tuesday when it plans to load fuel into the core of the Bushehr reactor, a senior lawmaker said on Monday.


EDITORS' NOTE: Reuters and other foreign media are subject to Iranian restrictions on leaving the office to report, film or take pictures in Tehran. A security official talks to journalists in front of Bushehr main nuclear reactor, 1,200 km (746 miles) south of Tehran, August 21, 2010. REUTERS/Raheb Homavandi

Iran says the Russian-built 1,000-megawatt nuclear plant will start producing energy in early 2011 after years of delays and that its launch shows the West is wrong to accuse it of seeking to develop atomic bombs.

The United States and its allies say the fact that Russia provides the fuel for Bushehr means that Iran does not need to enrich uranium itself, the part of the Islamic Republic's nuclear program they are most worried about.

"Despite all efforts and policies of America and the European Union to put sanctions on Iran, the fuel of the Bushehr power plant will be loaded into its core tomorrow," MP Alaeddin Boroujerdi was quoted as saying by official media.

more

http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/tre69o4gd-us-iran-nuclear-bushehr/

[gratuitous]

1. Just great

Will Obama be able to resist the temptation to bomb the site? Certainly Israel will be applying pressure in an "If you don't do it, we will" sort of way. There will also be alternate squawking from the chickenhawks for a bombing run, and cooing from the pigeonhawks about how a bombing run would draw support from "moderate" and "conservative" Democrats and stave off an electoral meltdown in November. It will, of course, do no such thing, but the temptation will surely be there.

And there will be the usual carping from the political right no matter what Obama does, amplified and echoed all over the media noise machine.

[Drale]

2. I dont know

it might blow up all on its own or at least melt down. You know the Russians dont have the best record when it comes to safety in nuclear power.