1. Westinghouse received a permit to transition Bulgaria’s Kozloduy nuclear power plant to fuel produced by the company, aiming to reduce reliance on Russian supplies.
2. Bulgaria’s Interim Prime Minister and Acting Energy Minister visited the site where Westinghouse is scheduled to build unit 7 and unit 8 of the power plant.
3. Bulgaria signed a contract with Westinghouse to fabricate and deliver VVER-1000 fuel for the two units at Kozloduy, which currently provide 34% of the country’s electricity.
Westinghouse has received a permit to transition Bulgaria’s Kozloduy nuclear power plant onto fuel produced by the company, as Bulgaria seeks to reduce reliance on Russian supplies. Acting Energy Minister Vladimir Malinov announced plans to load fresh nuclear fuel in May, sourced from Westinghouse’s fabrication site in Sweden. The National Assembly signed a contract with Westinghouse to provide fuel for the Russian-designed reactors at Kozloduy, which contribute 34% of the country’s electricity. Westinghouse has also supplied fuel for Soviet-era reactors in Ukraine. While some countries are moving away from Russian supply chains, France emphasizes the importance of maintaining civil nuclear relationships for research and development in the industry. However, not all Western nations are aligned in their approach, as some have partnerships with Russian companies for fuel production. The move towards alternative suppliers reflects a broader trend of reducing reliance on Russian nuclear supplies in the face of geopolitical tensions.