Bulgaria starts talks with Greece over joint nuclear project
World
Tue, 1 Mar 2022 14:22 GMT
Bulgaria has begun talks with Athens on building a new nuclear power plant on Bulgarian territory to be used by Greece under a long-term 20-year contract, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister of Bulgaria Asen Vassilev announced on Sunday.Bulgaria ha...
Bulgaria has begun talks with Athens on building a new nuclear power plant on Bulgarian territory to be used by Greece under a long-term 20-year contract, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister of Bulgaria Asen Vassilev announced on Sunday.
Bulgaria has two Russian nuclear reactors, which were ordered and delivered, but have remained unused for three years. The new Bulgarian government has signalled it is ready to build a new nuclear reactor at the existing Kozloduy power plant. The news, announced by the Bulgarian deputy prime minister, means that with the help of Greece, the project for a second nuclear power plant near Belene could be revived.
Vassilev also said that Bulgaria will become a shareholder in the port of Alexandroupoli and will have access to the Aegean Sea. The country currently has a stake in the liquefied gas terminal in Alexandroupolis.
“Bulgaria has plans and preparations to prevent an energy crisis,” Vassilev said. He said that two weeks ago the government knew that there would be a war in Ukraine.
“The Bulgarian government is preparing extremely actively for this war with alternative energy sources, with a full review of the reserve, and with all other measures that must be taken militarily,” the deputy prime minister explained.
He does not expect a reaction from Russia to Bulgaria but to the EU as a whole.
“In the short term, cutting off gas supplies can do the most harm. That’s what we worked on. Greece has already sold us the extra gas that it does not use. We have an agreement with them to help with electricity, if necessary, ” the minister added.
Bulgaria envisages a package of financial measures to help refugees from Ukraine start their lives in Bulgaria. Among them is a mechanism for granting loans to purchase property and start a business.
Bulgaria has two Russian nuclear reactors, which were ordered and delivered, but have remained unused for three years. The new Bulgarian government has signalled it is ready to build a new nuclear reactor at the existing Kozloduy power plant. The news, announced by the Bulgarian deputy prime minister, means that with the help of Greece, the project for a second nuclear power plant near Belene could be revived.
Vassilev also said that Bulgaria will become a shareholder in the port of Alexandroupoli and will have access to the Aegean Sea. The country currently has a stake in the liquefied gas terminal in Alexandroupolis.
“Bulgaria has plans and preparations to prevent an energy crisis,” Vassilev said. He said that two weeks ago the government knew that there would be a war in Ukraine.
“The Bulgarian government is preparing extremely actively for this war with alternative energy sources, with a full review of the reserve, and with all other measures that must be taken militarily,” the deputy prime minister explained.
He does not expect a reaction from Russia to Bulgaria but to the EU as a whole.
“In the short term, cutting off gas supplies can do the most harm. That’s what we worked on. Greece has already sold us the extra gas that it does not use. We have an agreement with them to help with electricity, if necessary, ” the minister added.
Bulgaria envisages a package of financial measures to help refugees from Ukraine start their lives in Bulgaria. Among them is a mechanism for granting loans to purchase property and start a business.
