Bulgaria, which has no oil or gas reserves, wants to build its second nuclear power plant in Belene, 250 kilometers (over 150 miles) from Sofia, the capital. The project was developed in coordination with Soviet specialists until the Bulgarian authorities halted the project in 1992.
Economy and Energy Minister Rumen Ovcharov said, "We want the state to hold a 50% stake in the Belene NPP, while the remaining shares will be offered to investors. We are in talks with Russian and European companies, among them Gazprombank, on their participation in the NPP's share capital."
Russia's nuclear power equipment and service export monopoly Atomstroiexport is bidding for the project, as well as Czech company Skoda.
Atomstroiexport is involved in several other projects, including the construction of a nuclear power plant in Bushehr, Iran, building an NPP in Taiwan, and building and modernizing NPPs in India, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine.
Ovcharov also said Bulgaria was in talks with Russian electricity monopoly Unified Energy System on cooperation in the power sector.
"We discussed possible avenues of cooperation with UES two months ago, but did not mention the Belene project," the minister said, adding that he did not see why the Russian company should not become involved in the construction and subsequent maintenance of the power plant.
