site.btaNovember 29, 2006: Agreement Signed on Construction of Belene N-plant

On November 29, 2006 Bulgaria's National Electricity Company signed an agreement with Russia's Atomstroyexport on constructing the country's second nuclear power plant at Belene.

Following is BTA English Service's news piece about the agreement.

National Electricity Company, Russia's Atomstroyexport Sign Agreement on Construction of Belene N-plant

Sofia, November 29 (BTA) - An agreement on constructing a nuclear power plant at Belene was signed Wednesday in Sofia between the National Electricity Company (NEK) and Russia's Atomstroyexport.

NEK CEO Lyubomir Velkov, Executive Director Mardik Papazyan and Atomstroyexport President Sergei Shmatko laid their signatures on the agreement.

At its session on October 30, NEK Board of Directors decided to award a public procurement order for the design, construction and commissioning of Units 1 and 2 of NPP Belene to Russia's Atomstroyexport . The project concerns the construction of  two 1,000 MW light-water reactor units of new generation at the Belene site.

The other bidder was Skoda Alliance of the Czech Republic, whose offer was ranked second. The bids of the two tender participants were opened on February 1, 2006.