site.btaKozloduy NPP, Westinghouse Electric Sweden Sign Contract

Sofia, February 4 (BTA) - Bulgaria's Kozloduy Nuclear Power
Plant (NPP) Thursday signed a contract with Westinghouse
Electric Sweden (WES) for safety analyses for licensing and
introduction of an alternative fuel type in the plant's
1,000-megawatt Unit 5, the government information service said.
The contract marks the start of the second stage of licensing of
 nuclear fuel for Kozloduy's Unit 5 as part of a programme for
diversification of fresh nuclear fuel supplies. The licensing
procedure for alternative nuclear fuel is implemented jointly by
 nuclear energy experts from Bulgaria, the US and Sweden.

The contract was signed by the NPP's Executive Director Nasko
Mihov and Aziz Dag, WES Vice President and Managing Director of
Westinghouse Electric Company, Northern Europe, the press
release said. Attending the event were Energy Minister
Temenuzhka Petkova, US Ambassador Herro Mustafa and Sweden's
Ambassador Katarina Rangnitt.

Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said the signing of the contract
was Bulgaria's latest step towards diversification. He
emphasized the geostrategic importance of Bulgaria's policies in
 defence of national security, stressing that diversification is
 an essential component. "We started with the diversification of
 our fighter aviation by buying new F-16 Block 70 aircraft. We
bought a 20 per cent stake in the Alexandroupolis LNG Terminal
and financed the construction of the gas interconnector with
Greece, which will be completed this year. As part of the Three
Seas Initiative, we are making very fast progress in the
expansion of the Chiren underground gas storage, which, along
with the Greece-Bulgaria gas interconnector, will be used for
LNG supply and storage," said Borissov.

The Prime Minister also said the construction of Units 7 and 8
of the Kozloduy NPP is extremely important for Bulgaria. It sets
 great store by, and has expertise in, nuclear energy, which is
part of the European Green Deal.

Kozloduy NPP's Executive Director Nasko Mihov said he was
confident that cooperation with Westinghouse would continue for
the benefit of Bulgaria's nuclear energy sector.

WES Vice President Aziz Dag praised the partnership with
Kozloduy's NPP team, saying the real partnership between the two
 companies would guarantee future fuel supplies that would
ensure Bulgaria's energy diversification.

Energy Minister Petkova said the signing of the contract made
the process of full diversification of fresh nuclear fuel
supplies to Bulgaria irreversible.

US Ambassador Herro Mustafa said this step was in favour of
Bulgaria by ensuring energy security and diversity.

Swedish Ambassador Katarina Rangnitt noted that the contract
would benefit not just the two companies, but Bulgaria and
Sweden as well.

Bulgaria's statutory framework requires a detailed comprehensive
 safety assessment for alternative fuel assemblies to be
licensed for operation, said the press release. After the
activities envisaged in the contract are completed, the analysis
 will be submitted to the Nuclear Regulatory Agency which can
permit the introduction of alternative fuel assemblies. The
preparation of safety analyses is part of Kozloduy NPP's
programme for diversification of fresh nuclear fuel supplies,
which has been cleared with the Euratom Supply Agency. The
European Energy Security Strategy requires an overall
diversified portfolio of fuel supply for all nuclear plant
operators in the EU. The aim is to guarantee the uninterrupted
and safe operation of nuclear facilities, the security and
reliability of electricity production for households and
industry in the EU Member States. RY/DD