Minister Malinov and Fatih Birol discussed the preparation of Europe for the forthcoming winter season
Bulgaria and the International Energy Agency will sign a Memorandum of Cooperation
„Europe is facing a number of challenges related to the onset of the forthcoming winter season. Taking a consistent approach to ensuring energy security is key“. These were the words of the Energy Minister Vladimir Malinov at the bilateral meeting with IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol. The two met in the French capital, Paris, where a conference on Ukraine's nuclear security is being held. They agreed that the old continent's winter preparations must reflect the needs of oil, natural gas and electricity, including in view of the expected deficit in Ukraine.
By the end of this year, a Memorandum of Cooperation between the Bulgarian Ministry of Energy and the International Energy Agency will be signed. This was the short-term measure to strengthen the cooperation in all fields of mutual interest that Malinov and Birol rallied around. Officially, our country will join the IEA after becoming a member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Minister Malinov met as well Andrew Light,
Assistant Secretary of Energy for International Affairs at the U.S. Department of Energy. The two recognised that the expansion of the Intergovernmental Cooperation Agreement on the project for the construction of a new nuclear power at Kozloduy NPP and the civilian nuclear programmes of Bulgaria will give a new horizon to the bilateral relations. One of the topics of their debate was the progress related to the project for the construction of the 7th and 8th unit at Kozloduy NPP. Minister Malinov and the Assistant Secretary of Energy Light indicated the willingness of the Bulgarian and the American side the signing of the Engineering Services Contract between Kozloduy – New Builds EAD and the consortium of Westinghouse Electric Company and Hyundai Engineering and Construction to be made by 30 October this year. During the meeting, the progress of our country in studying the applicability of small modular reactors in Bulgaria as complementary energy capacities that will contribute to the flexibility of the system was also noted. Minister Malinov recalled that in the realisation of this process we will we rely on the excellent cooperation with the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA). Deepening the cooperation between Bulgaria and the USA in the field of diversification of fresh nuclear fuel, spent nuclear fuel, oil and renewable energy storage were among the debated issues as well.
During his visit to Paris, Minister Malinov also spoke with his Ukrainian counterpart, German Galushchenko. The two discussed topics of key importance for Ukraine's energy security during the coming winter season - increasing the entry capacity to the country's electricity transmission network from 1.7 to 2.5 gigawatts, as well as Bulgaria's opportunities for solidarity aid to the Ukrainian people by providing electricity for the winter. The transaction to sell the Belene NPP reactors to Ukraine was also among the topics of conversation between the two.
