Skip to main content
EnerCEEEnerCEE

Detail – Energy Country Profile

Bulgaria will decide on third nuclear reactor by end 2013

Bulgaria 2013 #89

The Ministry of Energy of Bulgaria will take a decision on the construction of a third nuclear reactor in the country by end 2013. Currently, only two reactors are operating, Kozloduy-5 and 6 (953 MW each), and their licences are expected to expire in November 2017 and in late 2019.

In March 2012, the government announced the end of the 2,000 MW Belene nuclear project to be built by AtomStroyExport (Russia), estimated "economically unfeasible", following the withdrawal of RWE in 2009 and cost escalations (from €4bn to €10bn according to the Bulgarian government estimates in January 2013). Bulgaria has selected Westinghouse to prepare a proposal for a new reactor (AP-1000) and plans to draw up a financial model within six months. The US EximBank would be ready to finance up to 70% of the project. Construction could begin as early as 2016 and would last at least 4 years.

Source: http://www.enerdata.net/enerdatauk/press-and-publication/energy-news-001/ 26 November 2013