Fate of Belene NPP to be decided by New Year

10:21 24.07.2013
Bulgaria

The government does not give up categorically the Belene nuclear power plant (NPP) project, the draft program of the Oreshraski cabinet shows.

The plan provides for defrosting the project for a second NPP in Bulgaria only following a confirmation of its exact technical and economic characteristics and forecasts for electricity-consumption in the region and Bulgaria. Another condition for the revival of the plan is a clear financial structure of the project. The draft program, which was exclusively disclosed to Standart, also provides for immediate negotiations with Rosatom in order to minimize to the effects of the company's BGN 2.5 billion claim after the Borisov government stopped the construction of the NPP-2.

In line with the provisions of the plan, BSP deputy and ex-mayor of Belene Peter Dulev stated in Pleven that the Cabinet and the parliamentary group of the Socialist Party did not give up the idea of a second nuclear plant altogether. "There is enough time to carry out a financial and economic analysis and to decide about the fate of the project by the end of the year," he said. The MP also added that the sensitive topic of a second NPP was removed from the current political agenda, so that it could not be exploited by the protesters.

The program of the government also envisages the renegotiation of the long-term contracts in the energy sector, the concessions and the provision of utilities. In addition, it will also revise the long-term commitments for the purchase of electricity.

According to the draft plan, the civil society will be invited to participate in the decisions of the regulator and the executive branch will not interfere in the work of DEKVR at all. The plan also mentions the introduction of a two-tier pricing system.

Adapred from standartnews

Теми:

More on the topic