Bulgaria's President to Vote 'No' in Nuclear Energy Referendum

Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev has said he will vote against the construction of the Belene NPP at the upcoming referendum. Photo by Sofia Photo Agency

Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev has said he will vote against the construction of the Belene NPP at the upcoming referendum.

On January 27, Bulgarians are to express their opinion on the development of nuclear energy in the country by answering the question "Should Bulgaria develop nuclear energy through the construction of a new nuclear plant?"

Bulgaria decided to build a seventh  unit at its existing nuclear power plant in Kozloduy after the government quit the project for the construction of a second N-plant in Belene on the grounds of its economic infeasibility.

In a Saturday interview for Darik radio, Plevneliev declared that he was firmly against the construction of a nuclear plant in the northern town of Belene, adding that the site lacked infrastructure and the state would have to spend an extra EUR 2 B to supply the necessary equipment.

He noted that the allocation of such a substantial sum to an unnecessary second N-plant would drain the economy of essential resources.

Bulgaria's President added that the site in Belene was totally unequipped, while Kozloduy, the home of the Kozloduy N-plant, had "networks, specialists, systems, and traditions."

Plevneliev, as cited by dnevnik.bg, declared that he wanted to be "a President of energy efficiency, not energy inefficiency."

"I want to be the President of liberalization, the President of diversification, and not of total dependency on a sole supplier," Plevneliev added.

Earlier on Saturday, Prime Minister Boyko Borisov explained that he would vote against the construction of the Belene NPP.

In an interview for Darik radio, he explained that Bulgaria had to develop nuclear energy through new capacities at the existing Kolzoduy NPP rather than through the construction of a new N-plant.

Borisov said that a new nuclear power plant in Belene would be too expensive.

Parliament Chair Tsetska Tsacheva, on the other hand, has said she will vote "yes" at the referendum on January 27.

She noted that she was in favor of new nuclear capacities in Bulgaria, despite the fact that the Belene N-plant project was unrealistic and economically unfeasible

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