China National Nuclear Corporation joins competition to construct Belene NPP

It will go up against US’ GE, France’s Framatome, and Russia’s Rosatom.

China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) is gearing up to face off against the US’ GE, France’s Framatome and Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom to construct the Belene nuclear power plant in Bulgaria, Russia’s state news agency revealed.

The construction of the plant is slated to start in 2020-2021. Bulgaria reportedly intends to build the NPP for $10.19b (EUR9b) over eight years.

According to the report, the Belene NPP with a capacity of 2GW was initially planned to be built with the assistance of Russia.

Atomstroyexport (part of Rosatom) reportedly won a relevant international tender for the construction of two nuclear power units in 2006. The Bulgarian government invested about $1.7b (approximately EUR1.5b) in the project. The required equipment for the two reactors of the station was delivered to the site.

However, the project was halted in 2009. In March 2012, Bulgaria’s capital city Sofia abandoned plans to build a two-unit Belene nuclear power plant with capacity of 2GW. The government of Bulgaria, which at that time was headed by current Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, announced the termination of the project.

On 12 May 2018, Borisov said that the country intends to resume the construction of the nuclear power plant.