site.btaEnergy Minister: Tripling Nuclear Energy by 2050 a Goal, Doubling It in Next Decade a Need
Addressing a ministerial panel in Dubai, Bulgarian Energy Minister Rumen Radev said tripling nuclear energy by 2050 is a goal, but doubling it in the next decade is a need. The panel took place after the climate action summit at which Bulgaria and 21 countries in four continents endorsed a Declaration to Triple Nuclear Energy by 2050.
Radev told BTA the adoption of the Declaration is an important historical moment which shows Bulgaria's ambitious goals to achieve sustainable decarbonization. In his words, the combination of low-emission energy such as nuclear and renewable energy, development of energy storage systems, internal and cross-border connectivity is the future, which is part of the national energy strategy under preparation.
Bulgaria is among the countries with the most concrete participation in the Declaration to Triple Nuclear Energy, given its firm decision to build Units Seven and Eight at the Kozloduy NPP site, both in terms of the chosen nuclear island technology and the overall technological complex, infrastructure, generating capacity and system connectivity. The procedure for Unit Seven has already been launched and the selection of contractors and the final signing of an investment decision are pending. As to Unit Eight, Bulgaria is at the stage of starting the environmental impact assessment process, Radev said. He expressed a hope that the construction of the capacities will be successful, probably with a gap of about three years.
The State should be the investor, owner and operator of this type of facility, Radev stressed.
Small modular reactors with a capacity below 500 megawatts, which many participants in the event highlighted as a promising technology given their flexibility and applicability, are an interesting option but they cannot be an end in themselves, Radev noted. "Technologies are evolving and we need to keep an eye on these developments, including nuclear fusion," he added.
/DD/
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