Rosatom: Ball on Belene NPP Is in Bulgaria's Court

The site of NPP Belene in Northern Bulgaria. The project started as early as 1981, but since then little has been done. Bulgaria is now loking for a new investor and funds to complete the project. Photo by BGNES.

Russia has provided the Bulgarian side with all data and documentation for the go-ahead of the project to build a second Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in the Danube town of Belene, the Russian news agency Interfax reports Thursday.

Interfax cites the CEO of the Russian State-owned Nuclear Energy Corporation Rosatom, Sergey Kirienko, telling Prime Minister Vladimir Putin that the Bulgarian cabinet has all the information they need and the ball is in their court now to make a decision on the project’s future.

Kirienko further announced the establishment of a joint task force to examine all unresolved issues regarding investments in the Belene NPP.

“In concordance with the proposal you personally approved, we gave the Bulgarian side everything they might need to make a final decision,” Kirienko is quoted saying, adding Rosatom is constantly increasing its presence abroad.

According to the CEO, a pilot company had been set in Turkey under previous agreements and the final details will be coordinated with the Turkish side by the end of August. Kirienko further told Putin the Russian side is now in the process of registering the said company in Turkey.

In the spring, the Russian government, whose company Atomstroyexport was supposed to construct the Belene plant, offered Bulgaria a state loan of EUR 2 B in order to keep the construction going until Bulgaria finds an investor. Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, however, has made it clear on several occasions that Bulgaria will not construct the new plant unless it finds a strategic investor from Western Europe. The July report of Borisov’s ruling, center-right Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) party for the first year of their term listed among the cabinet’s top priorities finding a strategic investor for the Belene NPP.

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