site.btaKozloduy NPP, Pillsbury Law Firm Sign Legal Cooperation Agreement

Kozloduy NPP - New Build EAD signed a legal cooperation agreement with the law firm Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman in Washington, D.C., the Ministry of Energy reported on Wednesday.

Caretaker Minister of Energy Vladimir Malinov, who was present at the signing, said: "Kozloduy NPP - New Build EAD bringing in an international legal advisor with Pillsbury's experience and expertise is an important step towards the successful implementation of the Unit 7 and Unit 8 project at the Kozloduy NPP site."

The contract was signed by Kozloduy NPP - New Build CEO Petyo Ivanov and partner at Pillsbury Vincent Zabielski. Also attending the ceremony were Dr Jon Carmack, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Fuel Cycle of the of the US Department of Energy's Office of Nuclear Energy; Vincent Zabielski, partner at Pillsbury; and Jeffrey S. Merrifield, leader of Pillsbury’s Nuclear Energy Team.

Malinov emphasized that the project to build Units 7 and 8 at our nuclear power plant is of strategic importance not only for Bulgaria but also for the entire region of Southeast Europe in the context of achieving carbon neutrality goals. He stated that the project would consolidate Bulgaria's role as a regional energy leader with 50 years of experience in operating nuclear power plants.

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman is an international law firm with over 50 years of experience in the nuclear energy field. The firm's portfolio includes comprehensive legal services for new build projects such as the Barakah NPP in the United Arab Emirates and the Akkuyu NPP in Turkiye. The firm's core competencies include the preparation of engineering and construction contracts, financing and licensing of new nuclear facilities.

Malinov met with Jacques Besnainou, Executive Vice President, Global Markets at Westinghouse Electric Company, among other company representatives. The need to finalize the signing of an engineering contract between Kozloduy NPP - New Build, the South Korean Hyundai Engineering and Construction and the US Westinghouse Electric Company was highlighted during the meeting.