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Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland) -- Bulgaria's future use of nuclear power will be decided next January when the country holds a referendum on the subject.
For the first time in more than 40 years, the country's citizens will be asked whether or not they want to go ahead and develop a new nuclear power project at Belene. The country already has one old nuclear plant in operation, the 2000-megawatt (MW) Kozloduy plant located near the Romanian border, which supplies around 40% of the country's electricity. However, proposals to build a new nuclear plant at Belene has become an increasingly controversial and political issue. The government has decided to give the people it's say on January 27th, 2013.
"The institution of president will do its best to ensure that all opinions are heard," Bulgarian President, Rosen Plevneliev, told media.
The referendum, approved by parliament, will be deemed valid if voter turnout reaches 60% of the registered voters.
In March this year, the Bulgarian government abandoned plans for the construction of the 2,000 MW Belene nuclear power plant, a project estimated to be worth 10 billion ($12.25 billion).The government failed to reach agreement with Russia's state nuclear company, Rosatom (Moscow, Russia) and failed to attract enough Western private investment.
The Prime Minister, Boiko Borisov, announced at the time that the government would instead look to constructing a gas-fired power plant instead of the nuclear plant. Bulgaria has already sunk 715 million ($950 million) on the Belene project. For additional information, see April 2, 2012, article - Bulgaria Replaces Belene Nuclear Power Plant with Gas-fired Plant.
Atomstroyexport (Moscow, Russia) was contracted to build the plant and, despite being embroiled in a lawsuit against the Belene project's owners, state-owned National Electric Company, has said that the first of the completed 1,000 MW reactors would be suitable for the proposed Unit 7 at the existing Kozloduy facility. Kozloduy's four Soviet-era reactors were shut down due to safety concerns, leaving two 1,000 MW reactors [Units 5 and 6] in operation until 2017 and 2019 respectively.
In August, the government notified the Nuclear Regulatory Agency in Sofia about its plans to raise capacity at the Kozloduy plant, which will require a licensing change. There also needs to be a request for approval to extend the operational life of the plant's two reactors for another four years. For additional information, see August 29, 2012, article - Bulgaria Tries to Strengthen Nuclear Energy Capacity with Kozloduy Unit.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, and eight offices outside of North America, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities.
For the first time in more than 40 years, the country's citizens will be asked whether or not they want to go ahead and develop a new nuclear power project at Belene. The country already has one old nuclear plant in operation, the 2000-megawatt (MW) Kozloduy plant located near the Romanian border, which supplies around 40% of the country's electricity. However, proposals to build a new nuclear plant at Belene has become an increasingly controversial and political issue. The government has decided to give the people it's say on January 27th, 2013.
"The institution of president will do its best to ensure that all opinions are heard," Bulgarian President, Rosen Plevneliev, told media.
The referendum, approved by parliament, will be deemed valid if voter turnout reaches 60% of the registered voters.
In March this year, the Bulgarian government abandoned plans for the construction of the 2,000 MW Belene nuclear power plant, a project estimated to be worth 10 billion ($12.25 billion).The government failed to reach agreement with Russia's state nuclear company, Rosatom (Moscow, Russia) and failed to attract enough Western private investment.
The Prime Minister, Boiko Borisov, announced at the time that the government would instead look to constructing a gas-fired power plant instead of the nuclear plant. Bulgaria has already sunk 715 million ($950 million) on the Belene project. For additional information, see April 2, 2012, article - Bulgaria Replaces Belene Nuclear Power Plant with Gas-fired Plant.
Atomstroyexport (Moscow, Russia) was contracted to build the plant and, despite being embroiled in a lawsuit against the Belene project's owners, state-owned National Electric Company, has said that the first of the completed 1,000 MW reactors would be suitable for the proposed Unit 7 at the existing Kozloduy facility. Kozloduy's four Soviet-era reactors were shut down due to safety concerns, leaving two 1,000 MW reactors [Units 5 and 6] in operation until 2017 and 2019 respectively.
In August, the government notified the Nuclear Regulatory Agency in Sofia about its plans to raise capacity at the Kozloduy plant, which will require a licensing change. There also needs to be a request for approval to extend the operational life of the plant's two reactors for another four years. For additional information, see August 29, 2012, article - Bulgaria Tries to Strengthen Nuclear Energy Capacity with Kozloduy Unit.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, and eight offices outside of North America, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities.
