Speaking at a ceremony to commission Banias power plant in Damascus, Syria, the minister said Friday that the country’s first nuclear power plant will be launched in the southern city of Bushehr with a capacity to generate 1,000 megawatts of electricity.

He recalled that Iran obtained over two weeks ago the technology to produce nuclear fuel on an industrial scale, Irna reported.

In a speech at Iran’s nuclear power plant in Natanz, Isfahan province, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced on April 9 that Iran is now producing enriched uranium on an industrial scale.

The minister noted that the construction of two new nuclear power plants will begin this year.

Last month, deputy head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization announced that Iran has a plan to put on international tender the construction of two nuclear power plants in Bushehr.

Ahmad Fayyazbakhsh told a press conference, “Iran is launching tenders for building two nuclear power stations with the capacity of 1,000 and 1,600 megawatts in the southern city.“

Fattah invited his Syrian counterpart Ahmad Khalid Al-Ali to visit Iran to get an insight into the country’s nuclear energy development ’which is a source of pride for the world freedom-seekers and supporters of the Islamic Revolution’.

The minister predicted that national electricity production will reach over 50,000 megawatts this year to ’set a new world and Middle East record’.

Fattah stated that thanks to scientific achievements and progress made in the post-revolution era, the country is not only has provided all its 70-million-strong population to power but also exported electricity to neighboring countries.

The minister said that Iran and Syria have planned to link their national electricity grids via Turkey and Iraq.

Fattah expressed his ministry’s readiness to construct new high standard power plants in Syria.

Iranian Azar Ab Company reconstructed the 170-megawatt Banias power plant at a cost of $62 million. The two nations have traditionally enjoyed cordial political and economic relations, more so after the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran.

Several Iranian companies are involved in various projects in Syria whose worth exceed one billion dollars, Irna reported.

Iran-Syria cooperation in the energy sector, building and interconnection of power transmission lines of two countries to each other and exchange of the relevant experts and technology were among topics discussed during Fattah"s visit.

Speaking to reporters, Fattah said that Iran-Syria relations are growing in all fields, particularly in the domain of energy.

The minister also referred to cooperation between the two countries in the field and the investments of Iranians in Syrian energy sector.

For his part, Khaled al-Ali referred to Iran"s progress in refurbishing infrastructure and declared interest in using the Iranians" relevant experience and facilities.