Life Extension of Units 5, 6 of Kozloduy NPP to Cost EUR 500-600 M

The projected cost of the extension of the lives of units 5 and 6 of the Bulgarian Kozloduy nuclear power plant has been increased to EUR 500 – 600 M.

The evaluation of Stanislav Antipov, Deputy Director-General of Rosenergoatom has been increased from the forecast of EUR 400 M announced in the beginning of 2014 and the EUR 266 M estimate presented in 2012.

Rosenenergoatom includes the research organizations which were involved in the designing of the two 1000 MW units of the Kozloduy NPP, which makes it only logical for Bulgaria to consult Rosenergoatom about the life extension of units 5 and 6 of the N-plant whose licenses expire in 2017 and 2019, respectively, according to the BGNES news agency.

Antipov claimed that Bulgaria had delayed the launch of the life extension procedure for the two N-plant units.

He suggested that the procedure would have started at least 6 years before the deadline in Russia, while in Bulgaria it had been launched as late as 2012, mainly for political reasons.

He was optimistic that the two N-plant units would be granted life extensions, adding that they would be permitted to function for another 15-20 years after that.

He emphasized that the procedure involved stringent tests.

Antipov said that the first stage had been launched in April 2012 and Rosenergoatom had submitted the paperwork to the Bulgarian Nuclear Regulatory Agency at the end of 2013. He explained that the Bulgarian watchdog was to get acquainted with the documents within 6 months and then start the next stages of the procedure.