Energy Minister Backs Declaration on Re-starting of Kozloduy's Units 3, 4

Economy and Energy Minister Peter Dimitrov backed in principle Wednesday a declaration on reconsidering the decommissioning of units 3 and 4 of the Kozloduy Nuclear Powers Plant by nuclear experts. The document was discussed at an international nuclear forum held in Varna, BTA reported.The two reactors were closed in late 2009 in line with a commitment to this end undertaken by Bulgaria in the process of its EU accession talks.The declaration is addressed to the Council of Europe, the European Parliament, the European Commission, Bulgaria's President and Prime Minister. According to the experts, there are sufficient preconditions to re-consider the decision on the shutting down of the two reactors. In their view political will is needed so as to take such step. "If a decision to this end is taken the units may be re-started for several months so as to resolve the energy crisis in Southeastern Europe," the declaration says.Minister Dimitov told the participants in the forum that, currently, there is an upward trend in nuclear power engineering worldwide. The traditional energy sources are gradually being exhausted. Due to this fact and the need to protect the environment, interest in the N-plants is renewed again, Dimitrov noted. The Belene Nuclear Power Plant will have two 1,000-megawatt units as the first should be ready by 2013.The management of the Belene N-plant's waste is a key problem in the implementation of the project about the construction of the facility, said Nuclear Regulatory Agency Chairman Sergei Tsochev. The location of the waste site is to be set following a broad public discussion, Tsochev specified.The demand of the National Electric Company (NEK) for a markup of prices has been prompted by the producers' position, NEK CEO Lyubomir Velkov said. According to him, the State Energy and Water Regulatory Commission should comply with this demand so that the company would not sustain losses on the domestic market.The Varna Thermo-electric Power Plant does not fulfill its quota for the production of electricity for the domestic market, Velkov further said. If the company does not start meeting its commitments, it will be deprived from the right to export electricity.The new Energy Efficiency Bill will be drafted and moved to Parliament by September, Energy Efficiency Agency Chairman Tasko Ermenkov said. Under the Bill the producers should sell electricity at preferential prices to customers, having implemented energy efficiency projects.