A contract has been signed in Moscow that would see Russia’s TVEL manufacture nuclear fuel for Kozloduy units 5 and 6 until 2020. TVEL would also transport, process and store the spent nuclear fuel after use.

Kozloduy’s managing director Ivan Ivanov signed the contract, which includes measures to protect the plant from sharp price rises. The clause specifies that prices would be reviewed only every three years, with the first review in 2008.

Kozloduy is a six-unit plant built between 1972 and 1991. It comprises four VVER-440 model V-230 reactors (units 1, 2, 3 and 4) and two VVER-1000 model V-320 reactors (units 5 and 6). In order to accept Bulgaria as a member state, the European Union requires the closure of the model V-230 units on safety grounds. Units 1 and 2 were shut down in December 2002 and TVEL will continue to provide nuclear fuel services to units 3 and 4 until their closure at the end of this year.


Related Articles
Angra-3 municipal licence received