Bushehr to get nuclear fuel on time

TEHRAN, Oct. 5 (UPI) -- The fueling process for the Bushehr nuclear power plant in Iran is on schedule, a spokeswoman for the plant's Russian builder said.

Olga Tysleva of Atomstroyexport, the Russian company that is the main contractor for the project, said no problems have been encountered, IRNA, the Iranian state news agency, reported Tuesday.

Her comments contradict statements by Ali Akbar Salehi, head of Iran's nuclear program, who told The Tehran Times a small leak in the pool near the nuclear reactor may cause delays in loading the fuel

IRNA said the nuclear fuel was transferred to the Bushehr plant Aug. 21 and will be injected into the plant's core in the near future. The fuel was initially to have been loaded into the reactor Sept. 23-Oct. 22 but the process was postponed.