Belene NPP Investor Guarantees Bulgaria's Inclusion

Energy expert, Prof. Atanas Tassev, says some people in Bulgaria know everything about the sudden twist around the Belene NPP project, but they could not speak publically. Photo by BGNES

The US company interested in investing in the project to build a second Nuclear Power Plant in Bulgaria's Danube town of Belene, is guaranteeing to Bulgaria's government an option to be part of the project if there is such will.

The statement was made by energy expert, Prof. Atanas Tassev, speaking Friday in an interview for the Bulgarian National Television, BNT. He failed to state the exact share reserved for Bulgaria, but stressed the State having control on the NPP was a matter of national security.

The investors' representative, Samuel Reddy, told the Members of the Parliament Thursday they are prepared to fully cover the cost of the project; do not expect a State guarantee, nor a future contract for the purchase of electric power.

Tassev hinted there were individuals in Bulgaria having full information on the latest developments around Belene, but they could not make it public. He informed the interest of the mysterious consortium was already 7-8-month-old and for all this time they had an office in Bulgaria.

The commitment of the Professor to the plans of Global Power Consortium, along with a number of other details, remains unclear.

On Wednesday, Samuel Reddy claimed the Global Power Consortium is currently negotiating with Russian state company Atomstroyexport, which was supposed to build the Nuclear Power Plant in Belene.

Atomstroyexport denied the statement.

Atomstroyexport, a subsidiary of Rosatom, recently increased its claim filed with the International Court of Arbitration in Paris in 2011 to cover construction work and production costs of Belene's the two canceled nuclear reactors.

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