nuclear-news

SOFIA (Bulgaria), November 18 (SeeNews) – The Bulgarian energy and economy ministry has signed five agreements with  the donors of the nuclear plant decommissioning fund KIDSF for grants of a total of 85 million euro ($114.78 million) for energy efficiency projects and decommissioning, the ministry said.

The KIDSF facility, administered by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), was set up with EU funds to support projects related to the decommissioning of four nuclear reactors at Kozloduy NPP as well as to supports projects for restructuring and upgrades in Bulgaria’s energy sector.

KIDSF will provide some 35 million euro for non-nuclear related projects, including the purchase of new equipment for coal miner Mini Maritsa Iztok and the development of data collection, monitoring and management systems of Bulgaria’s Electricity System Operator (ESO), the Bulgarian energy and economy ministry said in a press release on Saturday. The funding will also cover the reconstruction of Belmeken-Sestrimo-Chaira hydroelectric complex.

The other 50 million euro will be used for the wages of the employees who work on the decommissioning of Kozloduy’s four units, which will take place between 2014 and 2016.

As of the 2014-2020 programming period, financing will no longer be allocated to non-nuclear projects but will only go for the decommissioning of Units 1-4 of Kozloduy NPP.

Bulgaria will receive additional 12.8 million euro for the management of waste from the units’ decommissioning.

The Bulgarian energy and economy ministry has signed a total of 35 agreements for some 355.74 million euros with KIDSF’s Assembly of Donors for non-nuclear projects since its establishment in 2001.

($=0.741 euro)