In an assessment published this week of Bulgaria’s draft plan, submitted along with plans from all other EU member states at the end of 2018, the commission said that because Bulgaria aims at increasing its nuclear generation capacity, the final plan “would be enhanced by including an analysis of its economic viability and the underlying assumptions, as well as by a strategy on how to ensure the long-term supply of nuclear fuel”.
The European commission has asked Bulgaria to include analysis of the economic viability of new nuclear power plants in its final plan for implementing the EU’s energy union objectives by 2030.
In an assessment published this week of Bulgaria’s draft plan, submitted along with plans from all other EU member states at the end of 2018, the commission said that because Bulgaria aims at increasing its nuclear generation capacity, the final plan “would be enhanced by including an analysis of its economic viability and the underlying assumptions, as well as by a strategy on how to ensure the long-term supply of nuclear fuel”.
Without naming Russia, the commission noted that Bulgaria’s nuclear fuel is imported from a single supplier.
“Against this background, the final plan would benefit from showing how supply of nuclear fuel will be ensured for the existing and planned additional units and discuss diversification to enhance security of supply,” the commission said.
“Moreover, there is cooperation potential as regards the foreseen new build of nuclear capacities – an objective shared by several member states in the region which is likely to impact electricity interconnections and trading in the region.”
In a fact sheet on Bulgaria and the energy union the commission said that in 2015, about 31.3% of the electricity generated was based on Russian nuclear fuel deliveries. This corresponded to the total amount of electricity generated from nuclear plants, 15.4 TWh in 2015.
The commission said the draft national plans represented “significant efforts”, but more ambition is needed in the final plans, due on 31 December 2019, to set the bloc on the right track in fighting climate change and modernising its economy.
In 2018, Bulgaria’s two commercial reactor units at Kozloduy supplied 34.6% of electricity, making nuclear the second main source for energy generation.
Last month Bulgaria published a call for interest for potential investors in a project to build the two-unit Belene nuclear power station.
According to the call for interest, the new nuclear station must be operational within 10 years of the signing of an investors’ agreement and its cost must not exceed €10bn for both units.