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Atomstroiexport raises amount of claim against Bulgaria’s NEC

Back in 2006, as the Russian company won the tender for the construction, the project was estimated at four billion euros

SOFIA, October 27 (Itar-Tass) —— Russia’s Atomstroiexport Company /ASE/ will raise the amount of its claim against Bulgaria’s National Electricity Company /NEC/ to 130 million euros, ASE’s President Alexander Glukhov told ATOMEX Europe-2011 forum in Prague.

In July of the current year, ASE filed to the Court of Arbitration in Paris a claim against NEC about paying out of 58 million euros, which had been planned for the Belene nuclear power plant project and which the Bulgarian side failed to transfer in time.

NEC, in its turn, on October 6, filed a cross-appeal to the court demanding 61 million euros from the Russian company, which it failed to pay for purchasing of the old equipment from the Belene NPP construction site.

Alexander Glukhov said that NEC had gain major debts, and ASE cannot wait for their settlement any longer, as most part of the ordered equipment had been paid for by the Russian side by means of borrowed money. NEC asked for a year delay to settle the debt, but “ASE may delay the payment to the second quarter of 2012,” he explained.

Commenting on the Belene NPP’s cost, he said that “according yo the agreement on construction of November of the previous year, the cost is 6.3 billion euros.”

Back in 2006, as the Russian company won the tender for the construction, the project was estimated at four billion euros.

The tender for construction of the Belene nuclear power plant was announced back in 2005, and Atomstroiexport won it. On November 29, 2006, NEC and ASE signed an agreement on construction of the nuclear power plant, which was extended for two months /to September 30/ in early July of 2011. ASE and NEC signed on September 30 of the current year in Sofia a new agreement to extend negotiations on construction of the Belene nuclear power plant to March 31, 2012.