Bulgarian Energy Ministry to Review Westinghouse Contract

The agreement between Bulgarian government and the US-based company Westinghouse regarding the construction of a seventh block to the Kozlodui nuclear power plant will be reviewed.

The statement was made by Energy Minister Temenuzhka Petkova Thursday.

''The agreement has not as yet enetered into power and has been signed in condition it will be confirmed by the following government,'' Petkova stated. '' The deadline mentioned in the contract is March 31. That date has not yet come so we are continuing the talks with our colleagues from Westinghouse and hope to have more clarity on the issue quite soon.''

She added that a working group has been created that involves experts from the Kozlodui nuclear power plant, the Bulgarian Energy Holding and Westinghouse. They will be working to achieve agreement on every single point of the contract, as explained by the Energy Minister.

Among the requirements that the government has posed are that there should be no state guarantee requirements, that the company's participation should be 49% and that it the investment should be binding for a long-term.