The Energy Ministries of Bulgaria and Russia have agreed that the two countries have to try to find a mutually acceptable solution regarding the future of the equipment produced for the cancelled nuclear power plant Belene project.
Bulgarian Minister of Energy Temenuzhka Petkova and her Russian counterpart Alexander Novak discussed over the phone the situation after the ruling on the cancelled NPP Belene project, but also Bulgarian plans to establish gas hub in its territory and the country’s expectations that Russia could be one of the main gas suppliers for the future hub, which is also backed by the European Commission.
Last week, the International Arbitration Court in Paris has ruled that Bulgaria has to pay 0.55 million euros to Russian company Atomstroyexport (ASE) over the cancelled project for the construction of nuclear power plant Belene. The payment of 550 million euros is about half of the amount that ASE initially demanded when previous Bulgarian Government abandoned the project. According to the ruling, Bulgaria will have to pay for the equipment which ASE produced for the plant.
Minister Petkova earlier explained that 550 million euros will be used to purchase two nuclear reactors (of which one is completed and the other is under construction) and possibly sell these to a third party, because, according to the Minister, there is a market for such equipment, most likely in Iran or India.
Most surprisingly, Russian Rosatom, the parent company of ASE, has already offered Bulgaria to consider the construction of another nuclear power plant, despite the cancellation of NPP Belene project, transmits Serbia-energy.eu
