04 June 2004 17:22
RWE SET TO BUILD SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL DEPOT IN BULGARIA
The German energy group RWE is due to build a new spent fuel storage centre at Bulgaria's Kozloduy nuclear power
station the country's North-West region. On the basis of a consortium with the German company GNB, which
manufactures spent fuel containers, RWE recently signed a contract to build the depot between now and late 2008,
according to the Bulgarian Energy Ministry. Worth Euro 48.7 million, the contract is dependent on the EU for its main
financial support. The depot will be located on the Kozloduy site, where fuel will be stored for 50 years, according to
the power station authorities. Kozloduy's present storage centre has almost reached saturation point. RWE landed
the contract in the face of competition from Cogema Logistics of France and Atomstroyexport of Russia. Providing 40%of
the country's electricity production, Kozloduy power station has four reactors: two old reactors (440 MW each) due
to be decommissioned in 2006 at the request of the EU, and two more modern reactors (1,000 MW each).
[Europe Energy] |
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