The state hid previous accidents at the Kozloduy NPP, related to the currently suspended Unit VI of the plant. The news was announced on Tuesday by the acting energy minister Rosen Hristov. He specified that the VI block went into emergency repair because of a leak in one of the steam generators – a problem that existed last year as well.
“This steam generator has problems from the very beginning, during its installation due to an accident, some deviations from its correct introduction were allowed, maybe because of this it gives defects more often. However, before these problems were hidden, including the year 2020, there was the same problem“, said Minister Hristov, quoted by bTV. In 2020, the third government of Boyko Borisov was in power.
“Surely 2020 is not declared this accident”confirmed the minister.
The present accident
“VI block went into emergency repair due to a leak in one of the steam generators – a problem that existed last year as well. We rushed to do this emergency repair because of the planned repair of unit V, so as not to risk both units going out of the system at the same time.”explained the Minister of Energy.
Radiation does not leak, said Rosen Hristov.
“We preemptively shut down Unit VI in a period of extremely low consumption, low electricity prices, high production from renewable energy sources from Romania, so that we could possibly have minimal lost profits for the period”he said.
The minister added that there is a lack of equipment to conduct a thorough inspection of the steam generator.
The equipment
“The equipment has a delivery period of a year and a half, several companies in the world can manufacture it – these are special probes”the minister specified.
According to him, this steam generator needs large-scale rehabilitation, which ideally should be carried out in parallel with the planned repair of Unit VI.
“Hopefully, by the time this renovation is planned, we will get the necessary equipment so that we can do a large-scale rehabilitationsaid Hristov.
According to him, the derogation for spare parts from Russia has already been received:
“These are parts for which we have no alternative at the moment, as well as some services that we still depend on. For the moment, we have ensured the operation of the sixth unit and there is no danger of shocks”.
Prospects
Rosen Hristov recalled that two reactors are planned at the Kozloduy site and two at the Belene site.
“We foresee two replacements and two additional ones. There is a chance that they will work. The question is technically, financially, which would be better in terms of terms, the analyzes will show that. The subject of assessment is whether the use of these reactors obliges us to continue working with Russia.”, noted the minister. He specified that it takes about a year to have data on whether we are building on the site in Belene with this equipment or with another, stressing that it is expensive to store it.
“What is missing is precisely this large-scale evaluation, so that the SC can pronounce once and for all what we are doing”said Hristov.
Regarding Botash, the Acting Minister of Energy added that the amount of gas is of the order of 1 billion cubic meters per year.
“We have an agreement with Turkey to use their infrastructure. We have access to the terminals – we can unload, store and transport it to Bulgaria”he said and added that the first tanker was from “Chenier”.
The price is identical for the service we receive as in Turkey, Hristov said, adding that our country has access to all their terminals.
“In Greece we commit to a slot, we unload the tanker, we have a specific date, while here we have greater flexibility and greater security”he clarified regarding Turkey and added that our country is negotiating with global suppliers and large traders, such as “Chenier”, “Shell” and others.
“The Azeri gas will pass through the Greece-Bulgaria interconnector,” the energy minister also said. He is adamant that for the moment we have complete security of supplies.
“The gas that was pumped under contracts from m.y. is two to three times higher than the market price”Hristov also said in connection with “Chiren” and announced that the estimated price for the month of May is BGN 90, and for June around BGN 75.
“The gas storage can store the gas, i.e. we have no losses”, he further explained, but emphasized that the fact that such capitals are locked up there is not good, as these are a lot of working capital and this would lead to accounting losses for “Bulgargaz” and for all participants.
