Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2026 All Rights Reserved

Parliament greenlights nuclear project with US technology

АЕЦ Козлодуй
Photo: BTA, archive

With 149 votes in favour, 50 against and three abstentions, Parliament ratified in first reading the agreement between Bulgaria and the United States for cooperation on the project for the construction of nuclear power at the Kozloduy nuclear power plant site and Bulgaria's civil nuclear programme. The opposition parties - Vazrazhdane and the BSP - reacted strongly to the decision. The BSP described it as a servile act that violated all EU principles.

Bulgaria's only nuclear power plant, Kozloduy, currently has two operating Russian-made reactors. In December 2022, Westinghouse signed a 10-year contract to supply fresh nuclear fuel for one of the units from its manufacturing plant in Västerås, Sweden, and deliveries will start in a month's time. 

he Minister of Energy is required to take all steps to make a positive decision on the construction of new AR1000 nuclear power capacity using Westinghouse technology, according to parliamentary decisions in January and December 2023. 

In an interview with BNT, Kozloduy NPP executive director Valentin Nikolov said that the plant's new units - No 7 and No 8 - would cost less than 30 billion leva (15 billion euro), of which 20% would be self-financed and the rest from loans. Westinghouse is expected to announce the price at the end of this month. Unit 7 is expected to be operational in 2034 and unit 8 2-3 years later. No AP1000 units have yet been built in Europe.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Ivelin Mihaylov

Bulgaria’s Anti-Corruption Commission probes 'Velichie' party in major property fraud case

Bulgaria’s Anti-Corruption Commission is investigating a large-scale property fraud and money laundering scheme connected to the 'Historical Park', which is associated with Ivelin Mihaylov, the leader of the Velichie party. Those arrested include the..

published on 11/26/25 2:30 PM
Boyko Borissov

Borissov cites EU defence adjustment to claim a 2026 deficit of 2.7%

The ruling party and the opposition argued about the procedure for the Budget Committee meeting before the final vote on the 2006 budget .  Assen Vassilev, chairman of the We Continue the Change party, attempted to block the committee’s extraordinary..

published on 11/26/25 2:15 PM

Agriculture and forestry workers protest for higher salaries

Employees in the agriculture and forestry sector staged a protest in front of the Parliament, demanding higher salaries for workers in departments that are secondary budget administrators. The protest was organized by the National Federation of..

published on 11/26/25 12:34 PM