Bulgaria proposes joint Belene nuclear plant project with Ukraine

Bulgaria is considering building the Belene Nuclear Power Plant jointly with Ukraine instead of selling the project's unused reactors to Kyiv, President Rumen Radev has stated.

Speaking in response to lawmakers' questions, Radev said the issue had initially focused on the possible sale to Ukraine of two reactors manufactured for the Belene project, but he suggested a different option, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

"I continued this discussion during my meeting with Zelenskyy in Brussels. Zelenskyy again proposed buying these reactors, but I suggested a different option: let us build the Belene Nuclear Power Plant together, using European funding, with these reactors, and supply electricity to Ukraine through Romania. This is our position, and I believe it will benefit Bulgaria if the project is implemented," Radev noted.

In 2012, Bulgaria abandoned plans to build the Belene nuclear power plant under a Russian-designed project estimated to cost €10 billion.

Two reactors had already been manufactured and delivered to the country, while the plant had originally been scheduled to enter service in 2018.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov