Bulgaria: Eco Min Asked to Weigh Up Need for EIA for Extension of Lifespan of NPP Units

Bulgaria's sole nuclear power plant Kozloduy has asked the country's environment ministry to weigh in on the need to draft an environment impact assessment (EIA) for a possible extension of the lifespan of its two operational units, the head of the power plant operator's quality directorate said.

There is no set timeframe for the feedback from the ministry, Galia Nikolova told SeeNews over the phone.

The power plant's Units 5 and 6 were designed for a lifespan of 30 years, ending in 2017 and 2021, respectively. Kozloduy would need to apply for renewal of the two units’ licenses to prolong their operation.

The Kozloduy NPP remained with two operational reactors of 1,000 megawatts (MW) each after the country closed down four units of 440 MW each to address nuclear safety concerns of the European Union prior to its accession to the bloc. Bulgaria joined the EU in 2007.

In April 2012, the government in Sofia decided to add another 1,000 MW unit to the plant, a project that is currently taking shape.

(www.hbcbg.com)