Bulgaria has paid the EU accession price by shutting down two reactors at the Kozloduy nuclear plant, a condition imposed by the Brussels officials for security reasons. Bulgaria will thus have to cease its electricity exports towards the Balkans.
Two hours before officially joining the EU on January 1st, 2007, Bulgaria shut for good, although not too happy about it, the third and fourth reactors in the Kozloduy nuclear plant, each with a 440 MW power.
The added production capacity of the two reactors was roughly half of Bulgaria's export capacity (some 7.6 billion MW before the shutting). The reactors' shutting may lead to a 19% price growth for electricity.
Still, two modern reactors, of 1,000 MW each, remain operational while the Bulgarian government prepared to demand compensations for renouncing to the 3rd and 4th reactor. EU seems to agree to pay 550 million euros as compensation.
Bulgaria also signed an agreement to build a new 2,000 MW nuclear plant in Belene, with the Russian Atomstroyexport company as partner. The new plant is scheduled to come in use in 2012.
HotNews.ro, Jan 4, 2007
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