Bulgaria-U.S. cooperation guarantees energy security in the region
Owing to the excellent cooperation between Bulgaria and the U.S.A., irreversible action has been taken to ensure energy security in the region. That was agreed upon by Energy Minister Vladimir Malinov and H. E. Kenneth Merten, U.S. Ambassador to Bulgaria. Both stressed the key importance of the first quantities of fresh nuclear fuel produced by the U.S. company Westinghouse that is already delivered to Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant. “The joint efforts of the two countries have yielded excellent results in reducing Bulgaria's dependence on one supplier and achieving long-term diversification for Bulgaria's nuclear power plant,” Minister Malinov said.
Progress in implementing the key project for the construction of units 7 and 8 of Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant was also discussed. The first meeting of the Steering Committee under the Intergovernmental Agreement between the two sides on co-operation on the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant project and Bulgaria's civilian nuclear program was proposed to take place in Washington, the United States, in the coming months.
“Building on existing infrastructure and regional interconnections, as well as the entry into operation of the liquefied natural gas terminal in Alexandroupolis, are key to achieving the objectives of the European single energy market. The implementation of Vertical corridor for the transport of additional volumes of gas from South to North through the gas transmission networks of Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, Ukraine and Moldova will contribute to ensuring energy security in the wider region”, Malinov stressed. He said the region would continue to rely on reliable supplies of LNG from U.S. companies. The options for involving U.S. financing institutions in the implementation of the projects in the Vertical Gas Corridor were also discussed.
Co-operation between the parties on small modular reactors and baseline capacity solutions to ensure the security of Bulgaria's and the region's electricity system were highlighted during the meeting. "In the process of securing the operation of PSHPP Chaira, we hope to work in a constructive dialogue with U.S. partners who would provide the necessary expertise,” Malinov added.