September 16 (SeeNews) - Russian Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko said on Wednesday Moscow is ready to consider a proposal to buy a stake in Bulgaria’s Belene nuclear power plant - if the government in Sofia decides to sell, Russian news agency Interfax reported.
Bulgarian Energy Minister Traycho Traykov told local Dnevnik daily on Tuesday the government was considering lowering its stake in the 2,000 megawatt (MW) Belene project to 20% from the current 51%. These plans, however, depend on the talks, due to end later this month, with the Germany's RWE, which owns the remaining 49%.
Shmatko and Sergei Kiriyenko, the CEO of Russia's nuclear monopoly Rosatom, are due to pay an official visit to Bulgaria on Friday.
Currently Russia’s Atomstroyexport is conducting construction works in Belene under a 3.997 billion euro ($5.87 billion) contract awarded in 2008. According to recent Bulgarian media reports, however, Belene would cost between 8.0 and 10.0 billion euro - the main reason why the new Bulgarian government aims to find a new financing structure for the project.
On Tuesday Atomstroyexport Vice President Gennady Tepkyan said that Belene would cost at much as 6.0 billion euro.
Belene is expected to help Bulgaria restore its position as leading energy exporter in Southeastern Europe which it lost after closing down four Soviet-made reactors of 440 MW each at its sole nuclear power plant Kozloduy earlier this decade under pressure from the European Commission.
Kozloduy now operates its two remaining Soviet-made reactors of 1,000 MW each.
($=0.6809 euro)