Safety Damage Delays Bulgarian Nuclear Plant Repairs

Bulgaria's first and currently only one Nuclear Power Plant is located in the Danube town of Kozloduy. Photo by Sofia Photo Agency

A problem with one of the two functioning reactors of Bulgaria's Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) - Unit 6, can trigger serious delays in its switching back to the country's electric network, the Bulgarian Ministry of Energy and Economy announced.

The delay prompted Economy and Energy Minister, Traicho Traikov, to pay an emergency visit the NPP Tuesday. Once there, the Minister reported that a check of the system managing the reactor's safety protection located damage in the equipment's cap.

According to Traikov, the elements that must be replaced take 6 to 8 months to be made and delivered, but after a talk with the Russian manufacturer, the delay has been reduced to 15 days.

The Russian company promised to direct all available quantities to the Bulgarian NPP.

Traikov is further discussing with experts Tuesday the measures to undertake to cover the electric power needs in the country while Unit 6 is still shut down.

Unit 6 was turned off for its scheduled annual repairs and refueling on September 18 and was expected to begin functioning again at the end of October.

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