Temenuzhka Petkova: Our beneficial cooperation with EBRD should continue
"We have exclusively useful cooperation with EBRD, which should continue", said the Minister of Energy, Temenuzhka Petkova who met the Director of Nuclear Safety Directorate at EBRD, Vince Novak, and the Director of the EBRD local office in Bulgaria Daniel Berg. The two parties rated as particularly successful the projects, implemented under the Kozloduy International Decommissioning Support Fund (KIDSF) and highlighted among them that one for energy efficiency . "One euro invested by the KIDSF in this project draws 3-4 euro in the economy", Vince Novak illustrated the success.
According to Daniel Berg's words, this is a direct benefit in connection with mitigation of the closure consequences of units 1-4 in NPP Kozloduy. It became clear during the meeting that an audit of projects, financed by the KIDSF, is forthcoming by the European Court of Auditors. Both sides agreed that progress should be extended.
The guests of EBRD acquainted Minister Petkova with the course of the projects for construction of a system for plasma combustion and a facility for extraction and processing of the solid phase of the tanks with concentrate by evaporation, and the project for safe deposit of dry storage of the nuclear fuel used. Regarding the first project, it is necessary to set apart funds from the RAW National Fund to provide national co-financing, Mr. Novak said. Minister Petkova informed the representatives of the bank that BGN 4 million of the national budget have been already provided for the plasma combustion system. Currently, experts are analyzing the need to provide additional financial resources for the construction of a facility for the extraction and processing of the solid phase of the tanks with concentrate by evaporation. According to Minister Petkova a decision will be taken soon in this direction.
With respect to the dry storage of the nuclear fuel used, there is a risk the European Commission to request refund in the amount of EUR 12 million used to expand the capacity of the facility, if the need for such extension is not justified. Minister Petkova assured the representatives of the EBRD that the Ministry concerns a serious look at the issue and there will be a decision on it in the coming months.
The construction of interconnectors with Greece was also one of the conversation topics of Minister Petkova with Vince Novak and Daniel Berg. She thanked for the support of the EBRD in respect of this project and assured her guests that the energy independence of the country is a major priority of the government. In this context, the construction of interconnectors with the neighboring countries are key projects for us, she said.
The Kozloduy International Decommissioning Support Fund (KIDSF) was established by the Framework Agreement between the EBRD and Bulgaria, signed on 15.06.2001 to manage the grant, awarded by the European Commission to reduce the consequences of early decommissioning of units of NPP Kozloduy. The Fund finances projects in the two areas, as follows:
• Activities for decommissioning of units 1-4 of the of units 1-4 of NPP Kozloduy (ie. Nuclear sector)
• Measures that support the necessary restructuring, rehabilitation and modernization of the sectors production, transmission and distribution of energy, as well as improving the energy efficiency (ie. Non-nuclear sector)
The amount of EUR 550 million for the period of 2001-2009 has been provided for KIDSF in the Agreement for Accession of Bulgaria to the EU. For the period 2010-2013, extra EUR 300 million have been allocated. For the period 2014-2020, EUR 283 million have been granted for Bulgaria, which will be used only on projects of the nuclear sector