The Parliament of Bulgaria has extended by 6 months the deadline for negotiations between the country's government and Ukraine regarding the sale of two Russian-made nuclear reactors and related equipment.
Points of attention
- Negotiations are ongoing between Bulgaria and Ukraine for the sale of two Russian nuclear reactors and associated equipment, with a successful deal dependent on reaching a sale price of at least €600 million.
- Ukraine aims to use the purchased reactors for the construction of four new nuclear units at the Khmelnytskyi NPP, with the potential for some units to utilize Russian equipment.
- The European Commission may provide financial support for the agreement, and despite ongoing concerns due to the war between Russia and Ukraine, the deal holds significant importance for both countries.
- The uniqueness of this deal lies in Bulgaria possessing surplus Russian reactors that Ukraine can benefit from, as Bulgaria no longer requires them, while Ukraine plans to utilize both Russian and American nuclear technologies.
- Experts from Energoatom have been inspecting the equipment at the Belene NPP in Bulgaria as part of the negotiation process, marking a crucial step towards the potential sale of the reactors to Ukraine.
What is known about Ukraine's intentions to buy Russian nuclear reactors from Bulgaria
It is noted that Bulgaria purchased these nuclear reactors from the Russian "Atomstroyexport" more than six years ago, but after the country's refusal to build the Belene NPP, these reactors were not used.
Pending sale to Ukraine, these reactors are stored near Belene.
Negotiations on the sale of these reactors to Ukraine have been ongoing for more than two years.
They will be successful only if the Bulgarian government reaches a sale price of at least 600 million euros, which will be equal to the price for which the reactors were purchased from Russia's Atomstroyexport.
Experts from Energoatom arrived in Bulgaria to inspect the equipment of the Belene NPP.
However, the negotiation process is currently affected by the criminal war waged by Russia against Ukraine.
The European Commission is not opposed to the agreement on the sale of reactors being financed by the funds allocated by the EU to help Ukraine.
What is known about Ukraine's plans to use Russian nuclear reactors
The uniqueness of this deal is that Bulgaria has two Russian reactors that it does not need, while Ukraine is the only country that can benefit from them.
This year, Ukraine plans to start construction of four new nuclear units at the Khmelnytskyi NPP.
It is known that at least 2 reactors will be built using Russian equipment, which Ukraine wants to buy from Bulgaria.
Another 2 reactors will use American Westinghouse technology.
Last year, Bulgaria decided to continue the development of the existing Kozloduy NPP with the use of Westinghouse nuclear reactors.
