Ukraine will continue to work on the purchase from Bulgaria of the two Russian reactors for the Belene NPP

The Ukrainian government plans to continue working on Bulgaria's purchase of the two Russian-made VVER-1000 nuclear reactors under the Belene NPP project amid preparations for what promises to be the worst winter in the country's history. This is stated by the Ukrainian Minister of Energy German Galushchenko.

According to him, the government will insist on the expansion of the Khmelnytsky NPP in the western part of Ukraine through the purchase from Bulgaria of the two reactors, regardless of the criticism from the deputies of the pro-presidential party "Servant of the People".

"We need more production," he said in an interview with Politico newspaper. "We understand that any nuclear project takes years, so we need to start as quickly as possible, especially in this situation where there is already a building built and ready."

Galushchenko emphasizes that Ukraine is on the threshold of "probably the harshest winter in the country's history."

The Verkhovna Rada must pass a bill regulating the purchase of the reactors, but at the moment there is not enough support for this legislative initiative in parliament. According to Politico, the MPs asked whether the canned reactors purchased from Bulgaria more than a decade ago would be able to be put into operation and whether it would be better to give the funds to other sources of electricity, including renewable ones. According to them, there is a possibility that costs will increase and there are concerns about corruption risks. Nevertheless, Galushchenko intends to convince the deputies.

"We continue to work with parliament on the adoption of this law, as this is a very important project for us," he says. "I am confident that the parliament will pass the law."