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Sat, Feb 11 2012
Moscow in talks with Sofia over stake in Belene NPP
Belene NPP site
Photo: Георги Кожухаров
Russia was ready to start talks with Bulgaria on becoming a shareholder in Bulgaria’s second nuclear power plant at Belene on the Danube, Bulgaria’s Economy Ministry said.
The news came after a surprise meeting between Bulgarian Economy Minister Traicho Traikov and his Russian counterpart Sergei Shmatko in Moscow on December 24.
The two officials met less than a fortnight after the session of the Bulgarian-Russian economic committee in Sofia.
At the Moscow meeting both sides also agreed to draw up a concept for the construction of Belene NPP, even though the state Bulgarian Energy Holding (BEH), which brings together the nation’s top energy assets, has already been tasked to find an advisor to structure the project.
"The ministers agreed to continue work on Belene NPP to achieve a targeted shareholding structure without additional financial commitments for Bulgaria," the Bulgarian Economy Ministry said after the Moscow meeting.
It quoted Shmatko as saying that an action plan for the project should be put together within two or three weeks.
Sources close to Dnevnik daily said that the Bulgarian side will lower its current 51 per cent stake in the project, while Russia will acquire 10-15 per cent and a new investor or a group of investors will be drawn in.
Traikov recently said that Bulgaria could keep a 20-30 per cent holding in the 2000 MW Belene NPP.
After German energy utility RWE decided to withdraw from the project in October 2009, the Kremlin said it was ready to acquire full ownership of the scheme, which will be built by Russian company AtomStroyExport.
In response Bulgaria dismissed such an option and said it would retain a share in the project and would continue searching for new strategic investors.
In mid-December 2009, the Russian side said it could finance the project without state guarantees but required guarantees from NEK power utility, the Bulgarian state-owned company holding a stake in Belene NPP.
Source: Dnevnik.bg
The news came after a surprise meeting between Bulgarian Economy Minister Traicho Traikov and his Russian counterpart Sergei Shmatko in Moscow on December 24.
The two officials met less than a fortnight after the session of the Bulgarian-Russian economic committee in Sofia.
At the Moscow meeting both sides also agreed to draw up a concept for the construction of Belene NPP, even though the state Bulgarian Energy Holding (BEH), which brings together the nation’s top energy assets, has already been tasked to find an advisor to structure the project.
"The ministers agreed to continue work on Belene NPP to achieve a targeted shareholding structure without additional financial commitments for Bulgaria," the Bulgarian Economy Ministry said after the Moscow meeting.
It quoted Shmatko as saying that an action plan for the project should be put together within two or three weeks.
Sources close to Dnevnik daily said that the Bulgarian side will lower its current 51 per cent stake in the project, while Russia will acquire 10-15 per cent and a new investor or a group of investors will be drawn in.
Traikov recently said that Bulgaria could keep a 20-30 per cent holding in the 2000 MW Belene NPP.
After German energy utility RWE decided to withdraw from the project in October 2009, the Kremlin said it was ready to acquire full ownership of the scheme, which will be built by Russian company AtomStroyExport.
In response Bulgaria dismissed such an option and said it would retain a share in the project and would continue searching for new strategic investors.
In mid-December 2009, the Russian side said it could finance the project without state guarantees but required guarantees from NEK power utility, the Bulgarian state-owned company holding a stake in Belene NPP.
Source: Dnevnik.bg
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Relentless pursuit
Russian executives visit Sofia in quick succession to give traction to transnational undertakings, pounding away at Sofia’s resolve
Russia ready to finance two years of Belene NPP construction
In return Russia expected to secure guarantees that it will get shares in the new company developing the plant, Bulgaria’s Energy Minister says
Bulgaria, Russia agree on new talks on gas, South Stream and Belene
Traicho Traikov and senior officials met Traikov’s Russian counterpart Sergey Shmatko on December 24 2009, resulting in agreements on new talks on the South Stream pipeline, Belene nuke project and a natural gas deal, Russian media said.
Photo Gallery: Belene nuclear power plant, 28 years later
The construction site of Bulgaria's second nuclear power plant on the Danube River, 28 years after the project was given a green light by the then communist government.
Russia's Rosatom still interested in Belene - report
Russian corporation unfazed by RWE's decision to pull out of Belene and the expected 12 to 18 months delay in the project, Vedomosti daily says.
Germany's RWE pulls out of Bulgaria's Belene nuclear plant project
The world economic downturn and problems with the project's execution cited as the reasons.
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