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European Commission president José Manuel Barroso said he was “extremely pleased” that the EC was able to propose the extension of support for the decommissioning of Kozloduy.
The proposal must be ratified by the European Union’s (EU) main decision-making body, the European Council.
Mr Barroso said: “This investment in a safer and more sustainable Bulgarian energy network illustrates our desire to see Bulgaria fully integrated into the common European energy market. I believe this is an important signal of European solidarity and our determination to treat all member states equally.”
Financial support for the decommissioning of the plant would have ended by December 2009 if no new extension decision had been taken.
In 1999 the Bulgarian government agreed to close down Kozloduy nuclear power plant’s four Russian-built VVER 440-230 units as a condition of entry into the EU. Units 1 and 2 were shut down in 2002 and units 3 and 4 in 2006. Kozloduy-5 and -6 are newer VVER-1000 units and both are still in operation.
By the end of 2009 the EU will have provided 550 million euro (EUR) (814 million US dollars) as financial assistance for supporting Bulgaria in its efforts to decommission the four Kozloduy units and to address the economic consequences of their closure. The proposal adopted today by the EC covers a sum of EUR 300 million for period 2010-2013.
>>Related reports in the NucNet database (available to subscribers)
Two Kozloduy Units Closed As Bulgaria And Romania Join EU (News No. 1, 1 January 2007)
EC Gives Green Light For Bulgaria's Belene (World Nuclear Review No. 49, 7 December 2007)
Bulgaria Tries To Find A Way Forward For New Units At Belene Unit (Insider No. 4, 23 October 2009)
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