Trump again: Bulgaria explains why it is not selling nuclear reactors to Ukraine
18 April 10:56
The sale of reactors from the Belene NPP to Ukraine has been suspended, as Bulgaria hopes to build large data centers that require cheap nuclear electricity, and Bulgaria may still need these reactors. This statement was made by the leader of the country’s largest parliamentary party, GERB, Boyko Borisov, the Bulgarian news agency BTA reported, according to
According to Boyko Borissov, American companies are interested in building artificial intelligence centers in Bulgaria, which require a lot of electricity to function. This can be provided by nuclear, gas, or thermal power plants. Another condition is the presence of a “large river for cooling”.
“Kozloduy has both,” Borisov emphasized.
As a reminder, the Bulgarian Kozloduy NPP is located on the banks of the Danube River.
The politician told reporters that representatives of three large global funds that have an exclusive interest in building huge data centers have already contacted the Bulgarian authorities and even visited the country. They have also asked Bulgaria to wait with the decision to sell the Belene reactors to Ukraine in order to discuss this issue with US President Donald Trump.
As you know, the Ukrainian Energoatom planned to complete the construction of two power units of the Khmelnytsky NPP, for which they tried to purchase Bulgarian reactors
The day before, Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the Bulgarian Socialist Party Atanas Zafirov announced the Bulgarian government’s decision not to sell Ukraine two nuclear reactors of the Bulgarian Belene NPP, explaining that Bulgaria needs to develop its own nuclear energy, especially given the rise in electricity prices in the world.
According to Atanas Zafirov, the sale of two nuclear reactors to Ukraine would call into question the implementation of another key project for Bulgaria’s energy sector, the construction of two new nuclear power units. Moreover, this became relevant after Kozloduy NPP – New Power officially signed a contract with the American consortium Westinghouse and the South Korean company Hyundai Engineering & Construction at the end of last year for the construction of units 7 and 8 of the nuclear power plant.
What is known about Kozloduy NPP
This is the only nuclear power plant in Bulgaria, located on the banks of the Danube River, 200 km from the country’s capital.
In 2003, after pressure from the European Union, Bulgaria began the procedure of shutting down four 440 MW reactors because they did not meet European safety standards. In 2004, the first and second units were shut down, and in early 2007, the third and fourth units were shut down. The newest units 5 and 6, built in 1987 and 1991, remain in operation.
At the end of 2023, Bulgaria decided to expand nuclear energy production in the country as an alternative to fossil fuels by starting construction of two additional reactors at its only nuclear power plant.
The government has allocated 250 million euros for the project. The first reactor is scheduled to be completed in 2033, and the second in two to three years. Both reactors will be built in parallel.
The total capacity of the new units will be 2,300 MW, which is 1,760 MW more than the first four reactors decommissioned.
