Prime Minister: The construction of units 7 and 8 at Kozloduy NPP is key to Bulgaria's energy security
The construction of Units 7 and 8 of the Kozloduy NPP is a key step towards ensuring Bulgaria's energy security. The project is of strategic importance both for our country and for the region of Southeastern Europe. This was stated by Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov at a meeting with a delegation from Hyundai Engineering and Construction, led by CEO Hanu Lee. The Minister of Energy Zhecho Stankov and the Executive Director of Kozloduy NPP - New Capacity Petyo Ivanov also participated in the conversation at the Council of Ministers, the Council of Ministers reported on its Facebook profile.
The project for new nuclear capacity at the Kozloduy NPP site was the focus of today's meeting in the Council of Ministers, after the implementation of the engineering contract between "Kozloduy NPP - New Capacity" and the consortium consisting of the Bulgarian branches of "Westinghouse Energy Systems" and "Hyundai Engineering and Construction" started at the end of last year. The implementation of the contract will support the regulatory steps for the implementation of the project, as well as the calculation of future investment and operating costs.
It is expected that by the end of this year there will be clarity on the term and methods of financing the construction of the new nuclear capacity in our country. Currently, there is a green light for the construction of only one unit near Kozloduy using AP 1000 technology. An application has been submitted to the Nuclear Regulatory Agency for consideration of the project for Unit Eight. The environmental impact assessment procedure for this site is still ongoing.
During today's conversation, Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov assured that the Bulgarian side will do everything necessary to accelerate the implementation process, without this being at the expense of quality implementation. We attach great importance to security during construction, as well as the safe operation of the units in the future, Zhelyazkov pointed out. The Prime Minister was categorical that the project must comply with all national and European rules and standards.