EOIs in for 2 GW Belene nuclear power plant project in Bulgaria

The Bulgarian Government has received a total of seven expressions of interest for the 2GW Belene nuclear power plant (NPP). The seven companies that submitted proposals are interested in becoming a strategic investor in the nuclear project.

Natsionalna Elektricheska Kompania EAD (NEK) has developed a project for the construction of a 2 000 MW nuclear power plant Belene (Belene NPP) in Northern Bulgaria. Belene NPP will be owned by a newly created company in which NEK will be a shareholder.

In March 2019 In pursuance of a Decision of the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria of 7 June 2018 and Decision No: 447 of 29 June 2018 of the Council of Ministers of the
Republic of Bulgaria, NEK announced a call for participation in a procedure for selection of a strategic investor for the Belene NPP construction, as well as a call for expression of interest for acquiring minority shareholding in the future project company, which will be set up to build, own and operate Belene NPP in Bulgaria on a market principle and /or expression of interest for purchase of electricity from the future power plant.

The Belene NPP project will be located 4 km away from the town of Belene and 11 km away from Svishtov. It includes the construction of two 1000 MW units, each under Design A92, third generation of the most commonly used nuclear reactors in the world - pressurized water reactors.

Until the Project suspension in 2012, the main contractor for engineering, procurement and construction was Atomstroyexport JSC, the Technical Design of Belene NPP was prepared by the
Chief Designer Atomenergoproject JSC – Moscow, and Areva NP GmbH was a subcontractor for the electrical systems, safety systems, management and control, heating, ventilation & air-conditioning, etc. The equipment manufactured and delivered in 2017 for the Nuclear Island was manufactured by Izhora Plants JSC, ZiO – Podolsk PJSC and Atommashexport OJSC.