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Controversy on Belene nuclear power plant

Date: February 26^th 2010 Author: Anastasiya Georgieva Aleksandrova, Sofia Category: Articles
Topic: Electricity , Energy policy

“Bulgaria will keep 50 per cent of Belene nuclear power plant if no strategic investor is found for the central.” The news was announced by Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism Traicho Traykov during the fourth energy conference for SEE dubbed “New Energy Strategy” which was organized in Sofia by Capital Weekly. The statement of the energy minister came only a few days after Deputy Prime Minister Simeon Dyankov stated that the project would be realized only if a European investor was found. Dyankov asserted before Pro.bg that “If there is no such investor – there is no Belene, if there is – it will be.”

During the conference minister Traykov said that Bulgaria should have a common energy strategy –formed after a wide public dialogue and discussion – which should have a constant direction and should not be changed every couple of years and constantly attacked afterwards. He insisted that in order for one project to be strategic, it had to be included in the common strategy and to be a part of it.

PHOTO: Greenpeace

He further commented that Bulgaria’s number one goal was to attract European partners to their second nuclear power plant. He said that if the Russians wanted to build the reactors, they should let them build them with no state or corporate guarantees or 80 per cent stake in the plant.

Traykov noted several key points in the new energy strategy. He admitted there was a need for better definition regarding Bulgaria’s policy direction and its balancing between consumers and producers, he mentioned the electricity market – a project currently developed with Norwegian partners – and new rules for renewable energies market, which had been discussed in advance with the parties interested.

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