Balkans | Bulgaria signs an agreement to buy nuclear fuel from outside Russia

The Bulgarian nuclear power plant has reached an agreement with the American company Westinghouse Electric for the purchase of nuclear fuel.

Bulgaria’s only nuclear power plant Kozloduye, which aims to diversify its energy supply, has signed a nuclear fuel purchase agreement with the Swedish subsidiary of the American company Westinghouse Electric.

The Bulgarian Energy Minister Rossen Herstov indicated that the 10-year agreement with the American company will allow the purchase of nuclear fuel to remain normal in “uncertain” periods.

Minister Herstov indicated that a similar agreement will be concluded with the French company Framatom to supply the sixth unit of the power station with fuel, and stated that the agreement is in the preparation stage.

Herstov stated that with Framatome two sources other than Russia will be provided for the country’s energy needs and the process of ensuring the “full diversity and security” of energy supplies will be completed.

The Kozloduy nuclear power plant had earlier received fuel from Russia’s Rosatom for its two Russian-made VVER-1000 reactors, which supply about a third of Bulgaria’s electricity needs.

Being dependent on Russian gas and nuclear fuel, Bulgaria decided to diversify its energy supplies after the Russo-Ukrainian War.

AA