Bulgaria’s National Assembly (Parliament) has ratified the intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in nuclear energy, signed in February between Bulgaria and the US. The agreement was supported by 149 deputies of the parties of the ruling majority. Some 50 opposition representatives voted against it.
In January, the Bulgarian government approved a draft agreement with the US on cooperation in the construction of two nuclear reactors using Westinghouse AP1000 technology at the Kozloduy NPP (units 7&8). After it was signed in February, Bulgaria’s Parliamentary Energy Commission said South Korea’s Hyundai Engineering & Construction (Hyundai E&C), part of Hyundai Corporation, will be invited to submit a binding offer with a price for the design, construction, supply, installation and commissioning of units 7&8. Of the five candidates interested in building the new nuclear facilities, two Chinese and two American companies did not meet the requirements, he said. Bulgaria plans to launch unit 7 by 2034 and unit 8 in two to three years later. The estimated cost of construction is some $14bn, although some experts have said it could increase to $30bn.
Currently, Kozloduy NPP operates two Soviet-built VVER-1000 reactors (units 5&6). Bulgaria was obliged to close four older VVER-440 units as a condition for accession to the European Union, even though the units had undergone significant safety upgrades.
Meanwhile, Kozloduy unit 5 is preparing to switch from Russian fuel supplied by TVEL to American fuel supplied by Westinghouse. Bulgarian Nuclear Regulatory Agency (NRA) Chairman Tsanko Bachiyski said: "What lies ahead is to prepare a draft permit. We have not identified any problems at this time. Refuelling will take place in mid-May.” He expects the permit to be issued in April. Unit 5 will be stopped in May for planned annual repairs and the fuel switch will begin.
Tsanko Bachiyski said NRA had very carefully analysed Ukraine's operational experience using Westinghouse fuel and no problems identified. The process of replacing he fuel will be gradual over four campaigns. The first campaign will be in mid-May with the loading of 42 cartridges. He said the main thing that needed to be investigated was how the two fuels would work together. He noted that Kozloduy unit 6 would continue using Russian fuel but would eventually switch to fuel from France’s Framatome.
In December 2022, the leadership of the Kozloduy NPP signed a 10-year agreement with Westinghouse on the supply of nuclear fuel for unit 5. It was stated that a licence to use new fuel would be obtained in 2024, but the contract did not provide for the disposal of used fuel and it will therefore be stored on site.
Image: Kozloduy nuclear power plant
