site.btaInternational Conference Discusses Bulgaria's Nuclear Energy

108 ECONOMY - ENERGY - CONFERENCE

International Conference
Discusses Bulgaria's
Nuclear Energy


Varna, on the Black Sea, June 7 (BTA) - An international conference titled "Bulgarian Nuclear Energy - National, Regional and Global Energy Security", started here on Wednesday. Deputy Energy Minister Krassimir Purvanov recalled during the conference that a technical and economic analysis on the Belene N-power plant project is currently being made by the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. The results are expected by end-August, when they will be discussed, Purvanov said.

The construction of the Belene N-plant with a private investor is the only possible option, said President of the Bulgarian Atlantic Club Solomon Passy, who also took part in the forum. The idea, propagated for a while by Bulgarian Atomic Forum Chairman Bogomil Manchev, will be realized and Bulgaria will have its first private project involving an N-power plant. The fact that a serious purchase of equipment was made last year brings Bulgaria much closer to accomplishing this, Passy said.

Answering a question about the Balkan natural gas hub, the Deputy Energy Minister recalled that Minister Temenouzhka Petkova attended the international economic forum in Saint Petersburg and signed a road map on studying the development of the natural gas transmission network in the country. Good intentions were expressed between the Russian and Bulgarian sides, which will be followed by working meetings that will focus on the details, Purvanov said, adding that the study is being conducted with European Commission funding. LI/MY