Iran`s Bushehr Nuclear Plant

Here are some key facts about Bushehr:

Iran plans to "pre-commission" its Bushehr nuclear power plant at a ceremony this week to be attended by a senior Russian official, an important step towards its launch, officials and media said on Sunday.

The West, which suspects Tehran of seeking to produce its own nuclear bomb, has been critical of Russia's involvement in building Iran's first nuclear power plant. Russia says it is purely civilian and cannot be used for any weapons programme.

Here are some key facts about Bushehr:

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS:

* Russia's state nuclear corporation chief, Sergei Kiriyenko, said earlier in February that Russia planned to start up the nuclear reactor at the Bushehr plant by the end of 2009.

* The launch of the Bushehr plant's nuclear reactor has been delayed frequently, though Russia last year completed delivery of nuclear fuel to the station under a total contract estimated to be worth about $1 billion.

ABOUT BUSHEHR:

* The Bushehr nuclear facility is associated with the city of the same name, but is actually located near Halileh about 12 km (8 miles) south of Bushehr proper. The site is also the location of Iran's Nuclear Energy College.

* Construction of two pressurised water nuclear reactors began in 1974 with the help of German contractor Siemens and French scientists. The Bushehr I reactor was 85 percent complete and the Bushehr II reactor was partially complete prior to the 1979 Iranian Revolution.

* With the fall of the shah in the 1979 revolution, the project was halted. The site was then damaged during the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war and equipment looted.

* The project was later revived with Russian help, but Russia has blamed project delays on problems with receiving payment from Iran.

* Bushehr will have an operating capacity of 1,000 megawatts. Iran, the world's fourth largest oil producer, has said it wants to build a network of nuclear power plants with a capacity of 20,000 megawatts by 2020 to enable it to export more of its oil and gas.

CONCERNS OVER BUSHEHR:

* Switching on the Bushehr plant could still dismay some in the United States, Israel and Europe who are deeply suspicious of Iran's intentions. Israel has expressed concern about the plant and has said that Iran could have a nuclear bomb by 2010.

* The United States and some EU countries suspect Iran is seeking to build a nuclear bomb under cover of its civilian nuclear programme. Iran has denied that.