site.btaBulgaria Gets Extra EUR 41 Mln from Kozloduy International Fund

Sofia, December 18 (BTA) - Bulgaria has received an extra 41 million euro from the Kozloduy International Decommissioning Support Fund (KIDSF). The decision was approved by the Assembly of Contributors to the Fund, which met in London on Monday, the Bulgarian Energy Ministry said in a press release.

The financing for management of the radioactive waste generated during the decommissioning process will be increased by 27 million euro, allocated in the nuclear projects "window". The timeframe for settlements in this sector were extended until 2022, the KIDSF contributors decided. They also approved the allocation of an extra 24 million euro for management of projects in the nuclear sector, extending the timeframe for settlements until the end of 2020, the press release said.

As a result of saving on the projects for the first and second phase of decommissioning of Kozloduy Units 1 to 4, the amount for these projects has been reduced by 10 million euro. The timeframe for settlements in that sector was extended until 2022.

In the non-nuclear projects "window", the contributors approved changes under the Project "Demand Side Residential Energy Efficiency through Gas Distribution Companies in Bulgaria" (DESIREE GAS Bulgaria), which supports household gas supply. From now on, grant aid under the project will cover up to 30 per cent of the eligible costs, and connection will be included as a fully eligible project cost. So far, up to 20 per cent of the eligible costs were covered by the programme and connection was excluded. The 36-month project was launched in September 2015.

The Bulgarian side also requested an extension of the period of Project DESIREE until the end of 2020, which is the closing date for implementation of KIDSF non-nuclear projects. After the changes are formally approved by the contributors, a new grant aid agreement is to be signed in the first quarter of 2018, the Energy Ministry specified.

The KIDSF was established by a Framework Agreement between the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and Bulgaria in June 2001. Its purpose is to finance and co-finance decommissioning activities for Kozloduy N-Plant Units 1 to 4 and the mitigation of the negative effects of their early closure, particularly through the provision of facilities for the treatment and storage of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste, and to assist in the necessary restructuring, upgrading and modernisation of energy production, transmission and distribution and improvement of energy efficiency. The Fund is managed by the EBRD, and the resources are absorbed by the Ministry of Energy and the State Enterprise Radioactive Waste (SERAW).