site.btaEnergy Minister Petkova: Belene N-plant Investor Selection Procedure Drafted

ESD 16:34:01 31-10-2018
VE1635ES.114
114 ENERGY - MINISTER PETKOVA - BELENE N-PLANT INVESTOR - amplif.

Energy Minister Petkova:
Belene N-plant
Investor Selection Procedure Drafted


Sofia, October 31 (BTA) - Energy Minister Temenouzhka Petkova told journalists here on Wednesday that the procedure for selecting an investor in the Belene N-plant project has been drafted, adding that there are small details remaining to be clarified. Her comments came after she took part in the Energy Security Council with the Council of Ministers, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Tomislav Donchev.

Petkova explained that if there are no significant recommendations or changes after she reports the procedure to the Council of Ministers and Parliament, it should be able to start before this year's end, adding that such procedures usually go on for months.

Parliament had given the Energy Minister until October 31 to draft an investor selection procedure and to propose the project's structuring.

Answering a question, she said that there are no new candidates for the project.

The Energy Security Council approved an update of Bulgaria's Energy Strategy until 2020. The update was necessitated by the implementation of activities which are crucial for the development of the country's natural gas infrastructure. Petkova commented: "Our desire is to keep Bulgaria's strategic place on Europe's natural gas map by building the relevant infrastructure, which is fundamental for the implementation of the concept for the natural gas distribution centre."

She further said that the Council also discussed the possibility of creating a natural gas exchange, which should be operated by a subsidiary of Bulgartransgaz. RY/MY/VE
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