Iran and Bulgaria to exchange experience in nuclear energy

13.7.2016

On 11 July, Bulgarian energy minister Temenuzhka Petkova and deputy prime minister Tomislav Donchev met with Ali Akbar Salehi, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran. Iran is probably discussing with Bulgaria the possibility to buy reactor equipment Russia has produced for the Belene nuclear power plant. Iran considers the construction of a second unit in the Bushehr nuclear power plant. Bushehr 1, which began commercial operation in September 2013, also has a Russian-type reactor.

In 2006, Russia’s Atomstroyexport (ASE) has been awarded a contract to build two 1000 MWe reactors in Belene. The Bulgarian government, however, cancelled the project in 2012 due to lack of investors’ interest. Last month, the International Court of Arbitration ruled that ASE is entitled to compensation for the cost of equipment it had already produced for the plant.

Bulgaria has offered to Iran its expertise in the storage of used nuclear fuel and in the operation of the Kozloduy nuclear power plant.

-tk-