WRITTEN QUESTION No. 671/97 by Carlos PIMENTA to the Commission. Euratom Loans for the upgrading of units 5 and 6 and Kozloduy nuclear power plant
Date: 1997-02-26
Institutions: European Parliament, PIMENTA
Subjects: Bulgaria, EBRD, Euratom loan, environmental impact, nuclear power station, nuclear safety, project evaluation













EUR-Lex - 91997E0671 - EN






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91997E0671

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 671/97 by Carlos PIMENTA to the Commission. Euratom Loans for the upgrading of units 5 and 6 and Kozloduy nuclear power plant  


Official Journal C 319 , 18/10/1997 P. 0155 





WRITTEN QUESTION P-0671/97 by Carlos Pimenta (PPE) to the Commission (26 February 1997)Subject: Euratom Loans for the upgrading of units 5 and 6 and Kozloduy nuclear power plant1. Can the Commission confirm that it is in the process of evaluating a loan for the upgrading of units 5 and 6 at the Kozloduy nuclear power plant in Bulgaria? If so, which European firms will be involved, what is the total cost of the project and how much will the Commission be funding?2. What other Euratom loans is the Commission preparing?3. Is the loan part of a programme to close units 1-4 at the Kozloduy nuclear power plant, as laid out in the Nuclear Safety Account agreement of 1994 which agreed the closure of unit 1-4 by 2000?4. Will the Commission insist that the NSA agreed time-scale for closing units 1-4 is written into all legal and binding agreements should the Commission proceed with the Euratom loan?5. Will the Commission insist that the Bulgarian authorities organize an environmental impact assessment and public participation process for this project prior to the Commission's approval of the financing?Answer given by Mr de Silguy on behalf of the Commission (17 April 1997)The Natsionalna Elektricheska Kompania (NEK) has decided to award the contract for the bulk of work involved in upgrading units 5 and 6 at the Kozloduy nuclear power plant to the Kozloduy European consortium, which comprises Siemens, Framatome and Atomenergoexport. The Bulgarian Energy Minister has asked the Commission to contribute via a Euratom loan to the financing of 50% of the project, the total cost of which has been estimated by NEK at some ECU 220 million.The request is being examined by the Commission, which has not received any other requests for Euratom loans from Bulgaria.The agreement on the Nuclear Safety Account, which is administered by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, provides for certain investments that will permit the gradual closure of units 1 to 4, including the upgrading of units 5 and 6, completion of the Chaira pumping station and improvements to three urban heating plants. The Commission attaches major importance to the earliest possible implementation of the agreement. Any involvement on the part of Euratom will take place in this context.The Commission will also assess all the particulars of the matter before deciding whether to grant a Euratom loan and before adopting the detailed arrangements.Units 5 and 6 came on stream in 1987 and 1991 respectively. An environmental study has been carried out by the Bulgarian authorities. An environmental impact assessment of the project will be conducted as part of the examination of the application for a Euratom loan for upgrading these units.