Russia Rushes with Emergency Supplies for Bulgarian Nuclear Plant

Energy | October 20, 2010, Wednesday // 17:12|  views

(L-R) Kiriyenko, Russian Energy Minister Shmatko and Bulgarian Economy Minister Traikov in Sofia in 2009. Photo by BGNES

Russian state company Rosatom has announced it will make an emergency delivery of equipment to help Bulgaria's nuclear power plant Kozloduy tackle issues with defective supplies for Unit 6.

On Tuesday, the Economy Ministry announced that defects in materials supplied for the repair of Unit 6 have necessitated their being replaced, which would delay switching the reactor back in the country's electricity grid, perhaps for more than six months. Economy Minister Traikov said on Wednesday the delay will be much shorter – 10-11 days.

"The Russian side is ready to provide as soon as possible the necessary equipment for the resumption of the work of Unit 6 of the Kozloduy NPP," Rosatom said in a statement to the Bulgarian media.

Rosatom CEO Sergei Kiriyenko has issued orders to organize the delivery of new supplies for the Kozloduy NPP by October 25.

The statement says that the management of Rosatom "has managed to convince Russia's Federal Service for Technical and Export Control to issue a license exports for equipment for the Bulgarian partner within 24 hours." The typical deadline for such a license is one month.

This should allow the Hydropress company working on the repairs of Unit 6 to start installing the equipment as early as October 25, 2010, Rosatom explains, pointing out that this process should take about a week.

Kiriyenko has also issued additional orders for the delivery of a protection pipe system by airplane, which, if carried out, should make the switching on of the reactor possible three days earlier.

On Wednesday, Bulgaria's Economy Minister Traikov estimated that because of the delay in the restart of the 1000 MW reactor, Bulgaria will lose BGN 15 M as it will be unable to export the planned amount of electricity.

Traikov was on an emergency visit to the plant on Tuesday. The defects of the supplies do not in anyway threaten the health of the population, he emphasized Traikov, while also promising that Bulgaria will file all necessary claims with Rosatom, the Russian company servicing Kozloduy NPP.

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.

A similar repair is previewed for Unit 5 next spring and Minister Traikov promised that the government will take all precautions against a similar situation.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!


Tags: Russia, Kozloduy NPP, Nuclear Power Plant, Traicho Traikov, Economy Minister, Sergey Kirienko, Rosatom

Back  

» Related Articles:

Search

Search