Bulgarian Minister of Energy Rumen Radev: Our goal is to have unit 7 of the Kozloduy NPP operational in 2034

We have started the procedure for preparing the Environmental Impact Assessment procedure for unit 8 of the Kozloduy NPP. This was stated by the Minister of Energy Rumen Radev, reported a BGNES reporter.
Minister Radev emphasized that Bulgaria is currently continuing the policy of developing additional generating capacities and, more specifically, we already have sustainable decisions of the MC on the schedule for the construction of a new unit 7 of the Kozloduy NPP.
The Energy Minister hopes that the cooperation between the legislative and executive powers should provide the sustainable framework for some intentions not to remain on paper, but to actually happen.
"Our goal is to have by 2034 a part of the new capacity already connected to the grid and operational, specifically unit 7. And with a horizon of two to three years, according to the procedures we have to go through with regard to unit 8 as well ", he said. According to him, we have the advantage of having the site, the infrastructure, but also building and planning additional infrastructure for this new site 2, so that it is suitable for two blocks, not just block 7.
The currently selected technology is Westinghouse's AR1000.
"This is a continuation of efforts that we are also making at the intergovernmental level, between the governments of the United States and Bulgaria. The last decision of the EC from today is the decision of support for the harmonization of the text of the intergovernmental agreement. Accordingly, I now have the mandate to sign this agreement. I hope this will happen within the next month. All the texts have been agreed upon and specified between the partners," said Minister Radev.
He pointed out that the agreement does not focus only on the choice of technology, but also allows for a wider cooperation in the exchange of knowledge, experience and information, personnel development and complementary technologies. "And something that is very important is to develop mutual projects for processing and long-term storage of high-level waste," the energy minister emphasized.
He reported that there is already a confirmed work schedule, according to which we are moving. According to it, we are in the process of inviting potential builders as partners for block 7. "We are waiting for the first application forms until February 2, so that we can make a short list of qualified builders accordingly." They have certain turnover and experience requirements. We will select a partner and a builder so that by June we are in a position to form an agreement. Our goal is to complete the engineering of the first phase by the summer of next year and have the opportunity to move towards the adoption of a final investment decision. Then we will outsource the production of the equipment with a long lead time. I hope that this will be the series of steps that will make this process irreversible and feasible within the timescales we are talking about. The project is unequivocally achievable," stressed Minister Radev.
He stated that work is being done very actively on a program for alternative processing outside of Russia of spent spent nuclear fuel from Units 5 and 6 of the Kozloduy NPP.
BGNES reminds that Bulgaria has 50 years of experience as a reliable, predictable, safe operator of nuclear power. This cannot be overlooked lightly, because it is a huge asset for Bulgaria, which is related to the development of human resources, personnel, regulations, etc. This experience, among other things, gives us the opportunity to have a rational view of the processes in the field of nuclear technology and what we can expect as a development in the future. /BGNES