Bulgaria to resume Belene Nuclear Power Plant project – Negotiations with potential investors soon

Bulgaria should resume its efforts to build the Belene nuclear power plant, the parliament decided on Thursday, ordering the energy minister to initiate talks with potential investors.

The lawmakers said Energy Minister Temenuzhka Petkova had until the end of October to present a proposal for choosing a strategic investor and on structuring and financing the project, Reuters reports.

– We have the desire, intention and political will to seek a solution to the issue, related to the Belene nuclear power plant – Petkova told parliament.

Chinese state nuclear company CNNC and Russia’s Rosatom have said they are interested in the project.

Last month, the government asked parliament to lift a ban on developing the 2,000 megawatt (MW) project, estimated to cost 10 billion euros, that was canceled six years ago.

The Balkan country canceled the project on the Danube River in 2012, after failing to find investors and facing pressure from Washington and Brussels to limit its energy dependence on Russia, which was under contract to build the nuclear plant.

Sofia had to pay more than 620 million euros to Russia’s Rosatom for scrapping the project, but also received nuclear parts for two 1,000 megawatt reactors.

Government of Bulgaria

Ministry of Energy of Bulgaria

Belene nuclear power plant

nuclear power plant in Bulgaria

CNNC

Rosatom