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I do not feel competent to assess and give advice on the complex case of Bulgarian-Russian diplomatic relations, but I am obliged to inform you that a further deterioration of relations, leading to the interruption of commercial relations in the field of nuclear energy, will have extremely heavy consequences consequences for the country's energy and national security.

This is stated by the Chairman of the Management Board of the Bulgarian Energy and Mining Forum, Ivan Hinovski, in a statement to the President, the political parties, the future leadership of the Ministry of Energy and the media, writes BTA.  

The declaration is a personal position regarding potential changes in the country's energy security level after 2023 and urgent actions in this regard.

Hinovski states that as a specialist with many years of experience in energy management, he feels obliged to share in the public space some of his alarming expectations and predictions from the current political situation in the country in the context of the deteriorated diplomatic relations with the Russian Federation.

"I remind you that 100% of the supplies of nuclear fuel, spare parts and engineering services for the Kozloduy NPP are provided by Russian companies, which, despite the actions taken, cannot be changed in the next 3-4 years. And if "angry Russia" acted as in the case of gas supplies and terminated trade relations in the field of nuclear energy, Bulgaria will fall into an extremely severe crisis due to the forced shutdown of the Kozloduy NPP after 2024, when the reserves of fresh nuclear fuel will be exhausted," Hinovski points out.

To avoid this crisis, he suggests that everything possible be done diplomatically to preserve the state of trade relations in the field of nuclear energy.

"Despite my expectations that the condition of payment in rubles will be imposed on us here as well," he adds.

The in-depth analyzes of the specialists show that without the Kozloduy NPP, the power and energy balance of the country will remain unsecured, which means: a shortage of electricity and possible restrictions on electricity supply during the winter months, a stoppage of exports with all the consequences for the country's economy, an increase on the price of household electricity and others, adds the chairman of the Management Board of the Bulgarian Energy and Mining Forum.

In the event that such an extreme development of relations and disruption of services occurs, in order to compensate for the consequences, Hinowski proposes a four-measure compensation program.

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To develop a program to prepare for the restart of all suspended coal-fired power plants in Bulgaria and ensure their operation on local coal, regardless of economic and environmental characteristics, such as "Bobov dol" TPP, "Ruse" TPP, "Maritsa 3" TPP , TPP "Sliven", the non-modernized units of TPP "Varna" (if they have not been dismantled), Hinovski offers.

Kozloduy NPP to be ready and to develop a new program for recharging the units after 2023 and operating at minimum load - only one unit.

Ivan Hinovski suggests that an international competition for the granting of a concession for the extraction of natural gas reserves in the "Etropolis Suite" proven by previous studies be announced immediately, and the previously operating company "DirectPetrolium" from the USA should also be invited.

He also wants to jointly develop with the Romanian side a program for utilizing the hydropower potential of the Danube River, which within 5-6 years can contribute to the diversification of the country's energy balance with many other positive effects for the country's economy.

"I am far from convinced that this program will be met with consensus by all political parties in the country, but I am deeply convinced that it is the only way out of the impasse of the potential crisis of a possible stoppage of supplies of nuclear fuel and spare parts for "Kozloduy" NPP, which would come into existence after 2023. But now is the time to think and plan the actions to avoid the problems!" he states.

energy security

Kozloduy NPP

energy

energy system

Ivan Hinovski