Iran builds 2 units to expand Bushehr nuclear power plant

TEHRAN, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Iran has started construction of two units as the extension of its Bushehr nuclear power plant, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Ali Akbar Salehi, said on Monday.

"Everything is moving ahead in an excellent manner," Salehi was quoted as saying by official IRNA news agency.

Thousands of tons of concrete and cement have been used to build the infrastructures of the two units, and in the coming months there will be further progress in their construction, he told reporters on the sidelines of the cabinet meeting on Monday.

Iran's first 1,000-megawatt Bushehr nuclear power plant was completed by Russia in May 2011.

Later, Iran and Russia agreed to develop the Bushehr power plant. According to the agreement, the Bushehr Phase-2 would consist of two units with a cumulative output capacity of 2,100 megawatt.