€75 Million Nuclear Waste Repository Set to Open in Bulgaria by March 2026

The construction of Bulgaria’s National Repository for Low- and Intermediate-Level Radioactive Waste is progressing, with total costs estimated at around 75 million euros. The project is scheduled for completion by March next year, announced Delyan Petrov, Executive Director of the State Enterprise “Radioactive Waste,” which will manage the facility.

According to Petrov, once construction is finalized, the enterprise will apply to the Nuclear Regulatory Agency for permission to begin trial operations. This phase will involve the storage and handling of actual waste materials over the following years. He noted that the overall purpose and scope of the project remain unchanged and that so far, no funds from Bulgaria’s own state resources have been used for its implementation.

Petrov also reported that Bulgaria’s two specialized funds, the Radioactive Waste Fund and the Nuclear Facilities Decommissioning Fund, currently hold a combined total of approximately €1.5 billion. These funds are essential for financing both the ongoing decommissioning of outdated nuclear facilities and the country’s long-term radioactive waste management strategy.

Since the shutdown of the four smaller units of the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant, nearly €860 million has already been spent on decommissioning activities. The State Enterprise “Radioactive Waste” estimates that by 2032, an additional €217 million in national funding will be required, along with €206 million from the Kozloduy International Fund, to complete the process.

The new repository is a critical component of Bulgaria’s nuclear safety and environmental protection framework, aimed at ensuring the safe, long-term storage of radioactive materials from both decommissioned reactors and ongoing nuclear operations.