site.btaSeveral Companies Interested in Belene N-plant Project - Minister

Several Companies Interested in Belene N-plant Project - Minister

Sofia, December 7 (BTA) - Several companies have so far expressed interest in the abandoned project for building an N-plant at Belene, on the Danube, Deputy Prime Minister Tomislav Donchev said in Parliament during Question Time Wednesday.

The construction of the Belene nuclear power plant was abandoned as financially unfeasible by GERB's first government in 2012, and Parliament voted to scrap the project early in 2013. In 2016, an arbitration dispute between Bulgaria's National Electric Company and Russia's AtomStroyExport was settled by ordering the Bulgarian company to pay 601.6 million euro for equipment made before the project was stopped.

Donchev reiterated that now two options are being considered for the equipment: building the N-plant as a private project with no public investment or re-sale of the built equipment. "It is a matter of a detailed feasibility analysis which option will be chosen," said he.

If the first option is picked, the best way to go is through transparent privatization after an evaluation of the Belene site and the two reactors, said the Deputy Prime Minister.

Potential buyers should not expect a contract for guaranteed purchase of the electricity output and that the companies which have expressed interest are aware of this condition, he added.

Earlier in December, it transpired after a meeting in Sofia with Donchev, Prime Minister Boyko Borissov and Energy Minister Temenouzhka Petkova that the China National Nuclear Corporation is interested in the Belene project.

In the event of re-sale of the available equipment, the aim will be solely minimizing the damage, said Donchev.

He added that the government has no objections to building a new N-plant as long as all safety standards are met. It would allow recouping all costs that the project has absorbed so far and even without government participation there will be the benefit of taxes and the employment of qualified labour.

In a comment for the press in the parliamentary corridors, Donchev said that no talks have been held with the Russian contractor for a buyback of the equipment. He added that Iran is a potential buyer and talks are underway with several companies.