Moscow, Sep 5 (IANS/RIA Novosti): Iran will be on its own with its first nuclear power plant after Russia officially hands Bushehr over at the end of December, a Russian project manager said.

The station began operating at full capacity Aug 31 as the reactor of Bushehr's Unit 1 was brought up to 100 percent of its projected capacity.

"We believe that the unit will be transferred to the client in the last week of December," Russian contractor Atomstroyexport's Iran construction chief Igor Mezenin said.

Before that time, a number of trials are to be completed, he added.

Construction of Bushehr began in the 1970s but has been dogged by delays. Russia signed a billion-dollar deal with Tehran to complete the plant in 1998.

The plant's launch in August 2010 prompted Israel and other nations to express fears the reactor could help Iran create an atomic bomb. Tehran has denied the allegations, saying the facility was for peaceful power generation only.

The plant was connected to Iran's power grid in September 2011.