Kozloduy NPP

Main article: Economy of Bulgaria

Kozloduy NPP is one of the ĸrupneyshikh in Southeast Europe.

In the period 2003-2006. 4 NPP power units were shut down, since this was a condition for Bulgaria's admission to the EU. In operation at the beginning of 2023 - only 5th and 6th (VVER-1000 units).

Kozloduy NPP is the only nuclear power plant in Bulgaria and is the largest electricity producer in the country, providing more than a third of the national annual electricity production.

The company is a joint stock company with 100% state participation.

Kozloduy NPP

History

2024

New contract with Westinghouse for engineering study of construction of new power units

The Kozloduy-Novi Power NPP design company, a subsidiary of the Kozloduy NPP, has signed a new contract for preliminary engineering work with the American company Westinghouse Electric Company. The contract is related to the construction of the 7th and 8th power units, the Ministry of Energy of Bulgaria reported in October 2024.

The continuation of the design of new nuclear facilities confirms the progress made in the implementation of the key design stage.

Earlier in June 2023, Kozloduy NPP - New Capacities and Westinghouse Electric Company signed a contract for preliminary engineering work, within the framework of which it is necessary to assess the advantages of the site at Kozloduy NPP to accommodate two AP1000 type nuclear power units, as well as analyze the capabilities of the Bulgarian industry for active participation in the project.

After completion of the work under the contract, it is planned to provide engineering services related to the design, licensing, project management and engineering study of the Kozloduy NPP site to accommodate two new generation 3 + AP1000 nuclear power units.

Westinghouse fuel start

The annual scheduled preventive repair (WED) of power unit No. 5 of the Kozloduy NPP was completed in June 2024.

The power unit was incorporated into the national electrical system following a review and positive evaluation by the Nuclear Regulatory Agency.

According to NPP data:

• 43 cassettes of nuclear fuel produced by the American company Westinghouse (NF) are charged into the reactor of the unit;
• The 4-year process of phased transfer of power unit No. 5 to nuclear fuel of RWFA type has begun.

Termination of the contract with Russia for the supply of nuclear fuel

On May 30, 2024, it became known that the Kozloduyskaya NPP announced a decision to terminate the contract with Russia for the supply of nuclear fuel.

In early May 2024, Rosatom experts reported:

• due to the loading of a new type of nuclear fuel into the reactor VVER-1000 Russian guarantees for the maintenance of power unit No. 5 are ending;
• for the first time in all the years of NPP operation in the WED of power unit No. 5, which will be held in May, Russian specialists of Rosatom will not take part;
• with the loading of the new nuclear fuel, the guarantees of the Russian side are terminated, since the chief designer did not give guarantees for the safe operation of the power unit at the new nuclear fuel.

Westinghouse fuel delivered to Bulgaria

The ADAMAS vessel under the flag Netherlands in April 2024 delivered to the port of Varna - West nuclear fuel of the American company Westinghouse for the Kozlodui NPP, equipped with VVER-1000-type reactors.

In mid-March, Tsanko Bachiyski, chairman of the Bulgarian Nuclear Regulatory Agency, said that the partial replacement of Russian fuel, which at that time operates the fifth power unit of the station, should begin during the planned repair of the power unit in May. Thus, the reactor will run on Russian and American fuel at the same time.

2023

The Bulgarian government allowed the Kozloduy NPP to purchase parts and components in Russia for the repair of power unit No. 6

In August 2023, the Bulgarian Government allowed the Kozloduy NPP to negotiate and purchase parts and components for the planned repair of power unit No. 6 from Russia. According to the Bulgarian National Radio (BNR), the Council of Ministers of Bulgaria approved the decision to make an exception to restrictive measures.

"In this case, we are talking about the supply of units of detectors of internal reactors and asynchronous electric motors, as well as related services. It will also be possible to purchase a tubular electric heating unit, transformers, as well as special spare parts for the check valve and more, "reports BNR

The station was built by Soviet specialists and until recently provided with spare parts from Rosatom. Deliveries are handled by Rusatom Service. According to Import Genius, the company continued to do this after the start of Russia's military operation in Ukraine - throughout 2022. Earlier, Rusatom Service substantiated the extension of the service life of two reactors of the Kozloduy NPP.

Earlier, the Bulgarian government made an exception to EU sanctions against Russia last September. Then they gave permission to work under five existing contracts and extend another one - with Atomstroyexport according to the technical manual for the pre-preservation of equipment for power units No. 1 and No. o2 of Belene NPP.

"We are talking about the fact that the supply of some items of equipment and spare parts and accessories for the Kozloduy NPP from Russia may formally fall under the restrictions of the European Union. Therefore, Bulgarian governments periodically give the stations permits for contracts with Russian companies if their products or services are impossible or difficult to replace, "

• says the director of "AtomInfo-Center" Alexander Uvarov. He notes that Bulgaria opposes sanctions against Rosatom, fearing for the Kozloduy nuclear power plant: "All these derogations are needed to convince Bulgarian power engineers that their industry will not suffer from sanctions against Rosatom.

Application for use at Westinghouse Power Unit 5

The Bulgarian authorities plan to gradually oust Rosatom from their nuclear power plants. So, at the end of July 2026, the Bulgarian Nuclear Regulatory Agency announced that it had received an application from the Kozloduy NPP for the use of nuclear fuel produced by the American Westinghouse at the fifth power unit.

"With the application, the process of licensing a new type of nuclear fuel began," the Bulgarian regulator said. Until recently, the fifth and sixth power units provided fuel assemblies from Russia. According to Import Genius, the last delivery from PJSC NZHK was carried out in October 2022. Then fuel assemblies were delivered to Bulgaria TVSA-12 for the next reboot of the fifth and sixth units.

"In principle, Bulgarians as buyers have every right to choose various fuel suppliers," Alexander Uvarov told EADaily. - But unpleasantly surprising is the speed at which the transition to fuel from Westinghouse is supposed to be. Haste in such cases is not characteristic of the nuclear industry, and it shows that the decision to switch was made primarily for political, not technical or economic reasons. "

The expert cites the statement of the American company that the transition to its fuel will occur without difficulties, since the conditions at the Kozloduy-5 block are largely similar to the conditions at the Ukrainian blocks with VVER-1000.

US sanctions against ex-nuclear power plant leaders

In February 2023, the US authorities once again used the "Magnitsky Law" - a tool that allows the selective introduction of restrictions against persons allegedly acting in the interests of Russia. More precisely, those who do not agree to act in the interests of American politicians.

The sanctions lists included the former executive director of the Kozloduy NPP Ivan Genov, the former member of the board of directors of the Kozloduy NPP Alexander Nikolov, the former Minister of Finance Vladislav Goranov, the former Minister of Economy and Power Rumen Ovcharov and the chairman of the Rusophiles national movement and the Rusophiles political party for the revival of Bulgaria Nikolai Malinov.

At this time, the Kozlodui NPP is of great interest to the American company Westinghouse Electric.

In 2022, the Americans lobbied for a ten-year agreement (from 2024) to supply nuclear fuel for the 5th power unit of the Kozloduy NPP, convincing the Bulgarian government to abandon energy resources from Russia.

In addition, company representatives want to gain control over the construction process of a new power unit, displacing colleagues from Russia.

The sanctioned Gens and Nikolov, although they are no longer in the leadership of the nuclear power plant, probably have the opportunity to influence the adoption of important decisions. The imposed restrictions are unlikely to greatly complicate their lives, but they will seriously spoil their reputation among pro-European colleagues.

10-year nuclear fuel agreement with Framatome for NPP Unit 5

At the beginning of 2023, the Bulgarian Kozloduy NPP signed a 10-year agreement with Framatome - a subsidiary of the French energy giant EDF - to supply nuclear fuel for the 5th power unit of the Kozloduy NPP from the beginning of 2025 as part of a program to "end dependence on fuel supplies from Russia."

At the same time, Framatome fuel is identical to the fuel used in Kozloduy, since it was produced under license for decades at the Russian Machine-Building Plant in Elektrostal (MRZ), which is part of the TVEL company. Bulgaria's current contract with Tvel expires at the end of 2025.

2022: Agreement with Westinghouse for the supply of nuclear fuel for the 5th power unit for a period of 10 years

In December 2022, the management of the Bulgarian Kozlodui nuclear power plant signed a 10-year agreement with Westinghouse on the supply of nuclear fuel for the fifth power unit of the nuclear power plant. It was stated that the license for the use of new fuel at the nuclear power plant will be obtained in 2024, but the contract does not provide for the disposal of used fuel, so it will be stored at a specialized site of the plant.

Earlier, the Bulgarian government lifted restrictions on the diversification of nuclear fuel supplies for VVER-1000-type reactors at the Kozloduy NPP, justifying this by the need to "ensure competition."

2021: Refusal to complete the Belene NPP and plan to create a new reactor at the Kozloduy NPP

In January 2021, it became known that a "hybrid" nuclear reactor would be built in Bulgaria. Sofia decided to abandon the completion of the new Belene nuclear power plant, and use the equipment supplied by Rosatom for the construction of a new reactor at the existing Kozloduy nuclear power plant. This option was proposed by the American Westinghouse, which will sell technologies for the power unit to Bulgaria and will accompany construction.

"In a maximum of 10 years, Bulgaria can get a new nuclear reactor. Today, at a government meeting, we approved the report of the Minister of Energy on the possibility of building a nuclear power unit at the Kozloduy nuclear power plant, "Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov said on his Facebook page.

The head of government clarified that in 2020 they created a working group of experts and in their report they supported the construction of a power unit using equipment that Rosatom had already supplied for the completion of another nuclear power plant, Belene. Its cost is estimated at $800 million.

The head of the Bulgarian Ministry of Energy herself said that the construction of a 1,000 MW reactor at the Kozloduy NPP using Russian equipment was recommended, among other things, by American experts from Westinghouse.

"During the negotiations, they said that they did not plan to offer their reactor AP-1000 Bulgaria, but would support the idea of ​ ​ using equipment that was supplied as part of the Belene project," Temenuzhka Petkova said at a government meeting. She added that Westinghouse will carry out the project with the existing equipment and, for example, will provide^[1] systems^[2].

Two existing Soviet reactors of the Kozloduy NPP with a total capacity of 2,000 MW provide 30% of Bulgaria's electricity needs. In 2008, the Rosatom division, Atomstroyexport, began building a new nuclear power plant in the country - Belene. However, in 2012, under pressure from Washington and Brussels, the project was stopped, and Sofia had to pay more than 600 million euros for the work already carried out and the equipment supplied. In 2018, the parliament ordered the Ministry of Energy to find strategic investors to complete Belene, and a tender was announced, which Sofia has not yet officially refused.

"Kozloduy has many advantages, since this is a live mastered site, while on Belen a lot will have to be created literally from scratch. Discussions about where to build new blocks (Belene or Kozloduy) have been going on in Bulgaria for many years, and one site or another becomes the favorite. Now we see that the choice is again leaning in favor of Kozloduy. So it was already a few years ago, then they started talking about Belen again, now it's about Kozloduy again, "says Alexander Uvarov, director of the autonomous non-profit organization to support the development of atomic science, technology and education at AtomInfo-Center. In his opinion, Bulgaria needs to decide on what it wants and not retreat from the choice made: "Otherwise, there is a danger that they will not build anything new at all."

2008: Joining the Bulgarian Energy Holding

Since September 18, 2008, EAD Kozloduy NPP has been a subsidiary of the Bulgarian Energy Holding EAD.

Notes