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Tue, Feb 07 2012
Russia's Rosatom still interested in Belene - report
Abandoned cranes at the construction site of Bulgaria's second nuclear power plant in the town of Belene, about 230km north of Sofia, October 5 2009.
Photo: Nadezhda Chipeva
One day after German utility RWE said that it was pulling out of the proposed Bulgarian nuclear power plant at Belene, Russia's state-owned nuclear corporation Rosatom said that it was still interested in taking a stake in the project, Russian business daily Vedomosti said on October 29.
Rosatom's interest in the plant, announced earlier by chief executive Sergey Kirienko, remained unchanged by RWE's announcement, Vedomosti quoted a company spokesperson as saying. The spokesperson did not provide further details, the newspaper said.
RWE was picked to buy 49 per cent in the company that would build and operate Belene, with the rest held by state-owned Bulgarian Energy Holding. RWE cited the economic crisis, the failure to sign a final contract with the contractor and the failure to secure financing as the reasons for withdrawing.
Bulgaria will now hold a new tender to pick an investor for Belene and could offer as much as 80 per cent in the plant as it looks to reduce the state stake and the funding that the Government would have to secure. Bulgaria does not plan to offer state guarantees for the loans that would have to be taken to build Belene, officials in Sofia have said.
Deputy Economy Minister Maya Hristova said it could take between one year and a year and a half to pick a new investor, during which the Belene project is expect to receive all necessary permits from the country's Nuclear Regulatory Agency.
The delay means the initial plans to link the two 1000MW reactors, to be built by Russia's AtomStroyExport for a fee of four billion euro, in 2013 and 2014 will have to be pushed back. Despite the delay, an AtomStroyExport spokesperson, quoted by Vedomosti, said that the company had no plans to demand damages from Bulgaria at this time because the project was progressing according to schedule.
Rosatom's interest in the plant, announced earlier by chief executive Sergey Kirienko, remained unchanged by RWE's announcement, Vedomosti quoted a company spokesperson as saying. The spokesperson did not provide further details, the newspaper said.
RWE was picked to buy 49 per cent in the company that would build and operate Belene, with the rest held by state-owned Bulgarian Energy Holding. RWE cited the economic crisis, the failure to sign a final contract with the contractor and the failure to secure financing as the reasons for withdrawing.
Bulgaria will now hold a new tender to pick an investor for Belene and could offer as much as 80 per cent in the plant as it looks to reduce the state stake and the funding that the Government would have to secure. Bulgaria does not plan to offer state guarantees for the loans that would have to be taken to build Belene, officials in Sofia have said.
Deputy Economy Minister Maya Hristova said it could take between one year and a year and a half to pick a new investor, during which the Belene project is expect to receive all necessary permits from the country's Nuclear Regulatory Agency.
The delay means the initial plans to link the two 1000MW reactors, to be built by Russia's AtomStroyExport for a fee of four billion euro, in 2013 and 2014 will have to be pushed back. Despite the delay, an AtomStroyExport spokesperson, quoted by Vedomosti, said that the company had no plans to demand damages from Bulgaria at this time because the project was progressing according to schedule.
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Moscow in talks with Sofia over stake in Belene NPP
An action plan for the project should be put together within two or three weeks
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Appointments
British Council
Lyubov Kostova was appointed country manager of British Council Bulgaria effective January 1, replacing Tony Buckby, who left in October 2011 to take a similar position at British Council Greece. Kostova has been with British Council Bulgaria for 11 years, as public communications manager and, since 2008, as the head of project and partnerships department. Prior to joining the British Council, Kostova was head of international activities at the National Academy for Theatre and Cinema Arts (NATFIZ). She has a degree in Indian studies from Kliment Ohridski Sofia University.
CEZ
Stefan Apostolov is the new chief executive of CEZ Razpredelenie Bulgaria, the power transmission subsidiary of Czech energy company CEZ in the country. He replaces interim chief executive Ales Damm, who remains the chairperson of the CEZ Razpredelenie management board. Apostolov has 30 years of experience in the energy sector, joining CEZ in 2007 as director of customer service and was later appointed as head of business development. Apostolov has a master's degree in electric systems from the Belorussian National Technical University in Minsc, management diplomas from Open University London and New Bulgarian University, as well as a master's degree in business administration from Plovdiv University.
BASF Bulgaria
Valentina Dikanska is the new general manager of chemical industry giant BASF subsidiary in Bulgaria, taking over from Herbert Fisch, BASF vice president for Southeastern Europe. Dikanska, who started her career as an expert in the Finance Ministry, joined BASF Bulgaria as director of finance and administration in 2002. She becomes the first Bulgarian to hold the top management position in the company in its 40-year history on the Bulgarian market. Dikanska holds a master's degree in economics from the University for National and World Economy in Sofia.
Rompetrol Bulgaria
Alexander Albin has been appointed chief executive of fuel distributor Rompetrol Bulgaria, replacing Nichita Sorin, who left to become chief executive of Rompetrol Gaz in Romania. Albin was previously chief executive of Rompetrol Georgia. He has more than 15 years of experience in the oil and gas industry; prior to joining Romania's oil group Rompetrol in 2008 as an adviser, he oversaw operations at Atyrau refinery in Kazakhstan, owned by Rompetrol's parent company KazMunaiGaz. He previously held top management positions at two other leading Kazakh oil and gas companies.
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@Peter... Russia has $429 billion FOREX reserves, it can fund whatever it finds in the interest. Selling gold is done all the time.
Russia is nowhere to find money for this project. Yesterday in Moscow Russian secretary of finance said that the state is preparing to sell between 25 and 50 tons gold from the state reserve.