Iranian official gives nuke plant schedule

TEHRAN, Dec. 16 (UPI) -- The Bushehr nuclear facility in Iran is progressing at a rate that it should be operational no later than March 2010, an Iranian official projected Tuesday.

Speaking to reporters at the beginning of the Iranian parliamentary session, Alaeddin Boroujerdi, chairman for the Foreign Policy and National Security Committee, said doubts about completion of the facility have been removed, the Kuwaiti news agency KUNA reported. Boroujerdi said Iranian engineers trained in Russia have been sent to the nuclear facility.

Referring to reports submitted by officials at the Bushehr plant, he said that the power plant could be opened by end of next year.