Bulgaria’s Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant has successfully reconnected its 1,000 MW Unit 6 to the national electricity grid following a brief outage caused by necessary repairs to turbine equipment. The unit was taken offline to rectify issues related to protective equipment in the non-nuclear section of its turbine system. After replacing the affected components, engineers conducted extensive safety checks on the newly installed protective membranes within the steam separator system, confirming that the unit is now operational and capable of resuming electricity generation.
This recent shutdown is not an isolated incident; Unit 6 has faced multiple interruptions in recent months due to similar technical issues. Specifically, the reactor was previously offline on December 15 and 21, as well as in February of this year, all linked to complications with the protective membrane devices.
The cumulative effect of these outages has been significant. Preliminary assessments from the Bulgarian Energy Ministry indicate that approximately 200,000 MWh of electricity production was lost during these downtime periods, translating into a financial impact estimated in the tens of millions of euros. The Ministry noted that challenges in sourcing original components manufactured in Russia contributed to these technical difficulties. Consequently, alternative parts were installed after unsuccessful procurement attempts for original equipment.
This situation highlights broader concerns regarding technological dependence on a limited number of suppliers. Caretaker Energy Minister Traycho Traykov pointed out that this episode underlines the critical need for diversifying supply chains and finding reliable alternatives for essential equipment. Currently, the reactor is in a phase of ramping up operations and is projected to reach its full capacity of 1,000 MW within two weeks.
