China's Largest State-Owned Nuclear Company Expresses Interest in Belene NPP

Since mid-February, there has been serious interest by China's largest state-owned nuclear power company in Belene nuclear project, Bulgaria’s Energy Minister Temenuzhka Petkova said in Parliament on 16^th of March.

She specified that the Chinese company had filed a letter to the National Electricity Company stating that it was interested in this project.

The Energy Minister also said last week that the European Investment Bank also said it was interested in financing this project. Petkova pointed out that the interest of the bank was also connected with many conditionalities, which are related to how this project will be financially structured, and what will be the return and the profit.

Petkova added that the decision of the National Assembly on 2 March will be strictly complied with and the various options and proposals for the most rational use of Belene NPP equipment will be submitted to Parliament within the required timeframe. She said the Chinese company's letter would be included in the draft decision.

"We are preparing such a proposal and a working group has already been set up in the ministry, which includes experts from the Bulgarian Energy Holding, National Electricity Company, Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility, Kozloduy NPP and ministry experts so that we can, within the deadline set by Parliament, make these proposals, and on the basis of the analyses that will be prepared, in order to move forward,” added Petkova.