Bulgaria, UK to sign nuke energy cooperation deal

["Sandy Perle" <sandyfl@earthlink.net>]

Bulgaria, UK to sign nuke energy cooperation deal

SOFIA, June 8 (Reuters) - Bulgaria's state energy body and Britain's 
Trade and Industry Department will sign on Friday a cooperation 
document in nuclear energy which might ease Sofia's dependance on 
Russia, officials said on Thursday. 

Energy Agency chairman Ivan Shilyashki said the memorandum of 
understanding, which would not have any financial or commercial 
parameters, involved partnership with the British Nuclear Fuels Ltd 
(BNFL). 

The memorandum would help Sofia seek British assistance in attracting 
strategic partners in the field of nuclear energy, said an energy 
official, who declined to be named. 

Bulgaria, which is now fully dependent on Russian supplies of nuclear 
fuel for its 3,760-megawatt Soviet-designed Kozloduy plant, would 
also seek advice on finding alternative deliveries, the official 
said. 

Partnership with the BNFL would involve assistance in safe operation 
of the Kozloduy plant and storage of spent fuel, and the 
implementation of the energy reform. 

Bulgaria, which started its talks on joining the European Union in 
March, agreed to close the four oldest 440-megawatt reactors at its 
Kozloduy plant earlier than it had wanted. 

Bulgaria's partnership with BNFL could also help in the 
decommissioning of nuclear facilities, the official said. 

Last month the European Commission signed a 212.5 million euro 
($197.1 million) loan to help Bulgaria modernise its other two more 
modern 1,000-megawatt reactors at the Kozloduy plant, which now 
supplies almost half of the country's electricity. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sandy Perle					Tel:(714) 545-0100 / (800) 548-5100   				    	
Director, Technical				Extension 2306 				     	
ICN Worldwide Dosimetry Division		Fax:(714) 668-3149 	                   		    
ICN Biomedicals, Inc.				E-Mail: sandyfl@earthlink.net 				                           
ICN Plaza, 3300 Hyland Avenue  		E-Mail: sperle@icnpharm.com          	          
Costa Mesa, CA 92626                                      

Personal Website:  http://www.geocities.com/capecanaveral/1205
ICN Worldwide Dosimetry Website: http://www.dosimetry.com

************************************************************************
The RADSAFE Frequently Asked Questions list, archives and subscription
information can be accessed at http://www.ehs.uiuc.edu/~rad/radsafe.html