Another nuclear unit is coming to Bulgaria's Kozloduy power plant. It is due to be completed in 10 years

The Bulgarian government has started construction of the seventh unit at the Kozloduy nuclear power plant. The project is scheduled for completion in 2033. The unit at the Bulgarian plant will be built by US company Westinghouse.

Only two nuclear power plants using Westinghouse's AP1000 technology are currently in operation worldwide. One is in China and the other is in the United States, while Ukraine has also expressed interest. Bulgaria will now join them.

The Bulgarian nuclear power plant in the Danube town of Kozloduy currently relies on two Soviet-designed nuclear reactors, which will use American and French nuclear fuel in the future.

Once the seventh unit is completed, the situation will change. As well as changing technology, Bulgaria's move will also mark Westinghouse's entry into the European market.

Next steps

The next step is for Energy Minister Rumen Radev to take the necessary measures to ensure a transparent selection of a contractor to design, build and commission the new unit.

“The state-owned company responsible for the project will receive 250 million euros. CZK and begin negotiations with companies that will build the plant's seventh unit. The project is scheduled for completion in 2033,” Denkov said.

Euractiv sources said that this timeline for a 1150 MW power plant may be somewhat optimistic and that it will probably be completed by 2035. While the state contribution has been announced, no information is currently available on the total cost of the completed unit.

At the same time, the Bulgarian government will begin preparations to build an eighth reactor at the Kozloduy nuclear power plant, using the same AP1000 technology. Under the plan, construction work on both new units should proceed in parallel, with the second unit due to be completed two to three years after the first.

Denkov described the government's decision as one of the most important the cabinet will make during its term.

“The combined capacity of the future seventh and eighth units is 2300 MW, significantly exceeding the 1760 MW capacity of Kozloduy nuclear power plant's decommissioned first, second, third and fourth units,” Denkov commented.

Flexibility guaranteed

He added that the technology Bulgaria has chosen for these reactors is unique: “It makes it possible to change reactor output in a very short time, which is extremely important for the stable management of the energy system.”

The ability to quickly ramp nuclear units up and down is essential if they are to complement renewable energy sources..

In July, following a meeting with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Denkov announced that Greece had confirmed its interest in investing in the construction of new reactors at the Kozloduy nuclear power plant, adding that an alternative would be a 20-year contract to purchase the electricity generated.