Russia's Belene NPP project in Bulgaria is ready - Rosatom

MOSCOW, March 27 (Itar-Tass) -- Russia's project for construction of a
nuclear power plant in Bulgaria is ready absolutely, Rosatom's Executive
Director Kirill Komarov said.
"No outside factors, to leave alone political emotions, cannot
influence this project much," he said. "It is beneficial both for Russia
and Bulgaria, it improves our business cooperation."
The negotiations between the two countries are not smooth - they still
do not agree on the price.
"But we hope sincerely, that all necessary decisions will be prompt,
and during this year we shall organise a project company to start the
construction."
The high interest of Bulgaria's companies to the project proves it
would be successful, he added. For Bulgaria, this would be the biggest
investment project of eight billion euros, which will be a major input in
the county's economy. The construction alone will provide 5,000 additional
jobs. Over the construction period in Belene, Bulgaria is expected to add
to the budget at least one billion euros, Komarov said.
He commented on security following the events in Japan. The nuclear
power plant in Belene will have security systems "which will control
emergency situations without either extra power supplies or participation
of personnel." That is why in case of a similar dramatic situation, "we
are sure that Bulgaria will not face an effect of the kind."
On March 16, Komarov said that Belene is a unique plant, where the
project includes a special security system, and the scenario at the
Fukushima-1 nuclear power plant is impossible there. Belene will be able
to operate in the temperature frame from minus 57 to plus 61 degrees and
even a 400-tonnes' plane crash will not affect it.
The two units to be erected on Belene NPP Site are of A-92 design with
pressurized water reactor (PWR), with 1000 MW electric power. The design
features contemporary control and safety systems and has been developed so
as to ensure reliable operation with minimum impact on the environment
under any conditions, including cases of hypothetic accidents.