Bulgarian Belene Nuclear Project Not Subject to StressTest

A file picture dated September, 2008, showing workers during the construction of the first 1 000 MW unit of the second nuclear plant of Belene, Bulgaria. Photo by EPA/BGNES

The project to build a second Nuclear Power Plant, NPP, in the Danube town of Belene in Bulgaria, does not require the conducting of the mandatory EU stress-tests.

The statement was made Thursday by the Head of the Agency for Nuclear regulation, Sergey Tsochev, who spoke at the 10th edition of the international nuclear summit "Bulatom."

Tsochev says this is due to the fact Brussels's safety requirements will be included in the project, adding the Agency has asked on these grounds the National Electric Company, NEK, for an independent safety analysis, to be taken into account during the approval of the NPP technical parameters.

The Nuclear Agency Head further explained his institution has requested Wednesday from the Kozloduy NPP – the only one in Bulgaria, to begin its stress-tests. Kozloduy is working on plan for safety testing since March, to be completed with the EU requirements.

The mandatory stress-test of 143 NPP in the EU was imposed after the Fukusima NPP in Japan sustained serious damage in the devastating 9-point earthquake in March. The EU adopted special criteria, and the testing began on June 1. The first official results are expected at the end of the year.

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