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Nuclear power in Bulgaria

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Nuclear power plants in Bulgaria (view)
 Active plants
 Unfinished/future plants

Nuclear power generates about a third of electricity in Bulgaria. Bulgaria's first commercial nuclear reactor began operation in 1974.[1] The Kozloduy NPP operates two pressurized water reactors with a total output of 1906 MW. This makes Bulgaria the 21st-largest user of nuclear power in the world. Construction of the Belene Nuclear Power Plant was officially terminated in March 2012, and a thermal powerplant was supposed to be built on the site.[2] Efforts in May 2018 to restart the Belene project were unsuccessful. As of 2022, Bulgaria plans to construct new reactors at the existing Kozloduy site,[3] and at Belene.[4]

Bulgaria has the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant with two pressurized water reactors (together 2000 MW net). Four old and unsafe VVER-440/230 reactors (4 x 408 MW net) were taken off-line in 2004 and 2007). The two active reactors cover almost half of Bulgaria's electricity demand.[5]

Radioactive waste

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Bulgaria has a state agency in charge of radioactive waste disposal. Under a 2002 agreement, Bulgaria pays Russia $620 thousand/ton to reprocess spent fuel. The country also spent €49 million to construct a new storage facility and had plans to build another facility by 2015[6] but it didn't happen as predicted.

Reactors

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Plant
name
Unit
No.
Type Model Status Capacity
(MW)
Begin
building
Commercial
operation
Closed
Kozloduy 1 PWR VVER-440/V-230 Shut down 408 1 Apr 1970 28 Oct 1974 31 Dec 2002
2 PWR VVER-440/V-230 Shut down 408 1 Apr 1970 10 Nov 1975 31 Dec 2002
3 PWR VVER-440/V-230 Shut down 408 1 Oct 1973 20 Jan 1981 31 Dec 2006
4 PWR VVER-440/V-230 Shut down 408 1 Oct 1973 20 Jun 1982 31 Dec 2006
5 PWR VVER-1000/V-320 Operational 1003 9 Jul 1980 23 Dec 1988
6 PWR VVER-1000/V-320 Operational 1003 1 Apr 1982 30 Dec 1993
7 PWR AP1000 Planned[7] 1150 (2033)[7]
8 PWR AP1000 Planned[7] 1150
Belene 1 PWR VVER-1000/V-320
VVER-1000/V-446B
Unfinished 953
1011
1987
2008
2 PWR VVER-1000/V-320
VVER-1000/V-446B
Unfinished 953
1011
1987
2008

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Nuclear Power in Bulgaria". World Nuclear Organization. August 2010. Archived from the original on 2009-01-21. Retrieved 2010-10-06.
  2. ^ Bulgaria quits Belene Nuclear Power Plant project, Novinite, 28 March 2012
  3. ^ "Bulgaria abandons Belene, announces new reactors at Kozloduy". 2022-02-16.
  4. ^ "Bulgaria energy strategy includes four new nuclear reactors". www.world-nuclear-news.org. Retrieved 2024-03-01.
  5. ^ https://www.capital.bg/biznes/energetika/2023/07/04/4503320_sriv_pri_toka_ot_vuglishta_i_rekord_za_vei_prez_juni_v/ [bare URL]
  6. ^ “Nuclear Power in Bulgaria.” World Nuclear Association February 2008. < http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf87.html Archived 2009-01-21 at the Wayback Machine>
  7. ^ a b c "Bulgaria to push ahead with two new units at Kozloduy". world-nuclear-news.org. World Nuclear News. 25 Oct 2023. Retrieved 3 Nov 2023.
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