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Russia's Rosatom ready to build nuclear power plant in Bulgaria if project is beneficial

Successful implementation of the project is impossible without Rosatom but the corporation understands that this project is executed within the international cooperation framework, the CEO said

© Viktor Drachev/TASS

MOSCOW, March 15. /TASS/. The Russian nuclear corporation Rosatom is ready to consider participation in building the nuclear power plant (NPP) in Bulgaria within the international cooperation framework but with adherence to conditions guaranteeing benefits of the project, Chief Executive Officer of the company Alexei Likhachev told reporters on Friday.

"We are ready to consider our participation exactly subject to international cooperation, with observance of certain conditions warranting that this project will benefit us," the top manager said.

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Successful implementation of the project is impossible without Rosatom but the corporation has understanding that this project is executed within the international cooperation framework, Likhachev added.

"We believe that successful implementation of this project without involvement of Rosatom is impossible. Secondly, we understand that this project can be implemented as part of international cooperation from the standpoint of supplies and in terms of further sales of electricity in the region, not merely in Bulgaria," he said.

In 2006, Atomstroyexport (an affiliate of the Russian nuclear corporation Rosatom) won an international tender for the construction of two power units at the Belene plant. The required equipment was delivered to the site, but in 2009 the project was halted. In March 2012, Sofia abandoned plans to build a two-unit Belene nuclear power plant with capacity of 2 GW. The government of Bulgaria, which at that time was headed by current Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, announced the termination of the project.

On May 12, 2018, Borisov said that the country intends to resume the construction of the nuclear power plant.

Sofia stressed that a strategic investor for the project will be chosen through on a competitive basis. Bulgaria’s main requirements for the resumption of the project include construction on market conditions, without state guarantees and without guarantees of the acquisition of electricity generated by NPP. The cost of construction should not exceed 10 bln euros, and it should be commissioned in 10 years.

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