The European Commission decided to extend the period of financial support to Bulgaria for the decommissioning of units 1 to 4 of the Kozloduy nuclear power plant. On top of the EUR550 million already allocated, the Commission has pledged a sum of EUR300 million for the time period 2010-2013.
In accordance with the Accession Treaty, Bulgaria has closed units 1 to 4 of the Kozloduy nuclear power plant for decommissioning. Financial support for the decommissioning of the plant would have ended by the end of the year if no new extension decision had been taken. By the end December 2009 the EU will have provided EUR550 million as financial assistance for supporting Bulgaria in its efforts to decommission and to address the economic consequences of the closure of the nuclear power plants.
President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso said, “I am extremely pleased that we are able to propose the extension of our support to the decommissioning of Kozloduy. This investment in a safer and more sustainable Bulgarian energy network illustrates our desire to see Bulgaria fully integrated into the common European energy market. I believe this is an important signal of European solidarity and our determination to treat all member states equally.”
For Lithuania and Slovakia, being in a comparable situation regarding decommissioning, Ignalina and Bohunice, financial support for decommissioning had already been safeguarded up to the end of 2013.