Nuclear News
Euro MP says forced closure of Bulgarian reactors 'a mistake'
Jan 2, 2007, 16:36 GMT
Sofia - The decision by the European Parliament to force Bulgaria to shut down two reactors at the nuclear power plant at Kozloduy on the Danube was 'a mistake,' the rapporteur on Bulgaria for the parliament said Tuesday.
Speaking in Sofia, Geoffrey van Orden said the issue of nuclear energy would become more urgent in the years ahead.
Immediately before accession to the European Union at the beginning of this year, Bulgaria shut down two refurbished reactors, each putting out 440 megawatts, on the instructions of the European Parliament, which cited safety grounds.
'We do not want to be dependent on energy sources in Russia or on unstable regions of the Middle East,' said Van Orden, a member of the British Conservative Party.
He stressed that the problem of securing Europe's energy supply needed to be solved.
Van Orden did not exclude the possibility of further debate over Kozloduy, but added that he was not optimistic the two reactors could be recommissioned.
Bulgaria committed itself to closing down two reactors at Kozloduy as part of the conditions for EU membership. Kozloduy originally had six reactors, of which only two are now operating.
As a result the country, previously the largest electricity exporter in the Balkans, has halted its exports of electricity to neighbouring countries.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-AgenturCOMMENT
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Older Talkback
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Jan Haverkamp - GreenpeaceJan 3rd, 2007 - 16:55:33
Van Orden can discuss whatever he wants. Reality is, however, that the closed
Kozloduy reactors are unsafe and indeed not upgradable to a satisfying level. Closure is fixed in the Accession Treaty and re-negotiation will need a
unanimous support from the old EU 25, which it will never get. The European Parliament confirmed its support for closure of Kozloduy during its last plenary vote.
In his reaction, van Orden once more makes clear he is an almost religious
nuclear lobbyist. The energy future for Europe - because of the urgency of
climate change and the necessity of energy security - lies in energy
efficiency and renewable energy sources. Not in NPPs that need a decade
and 4 Billion plus to build. Bulgaria'd better follow the example of its recently started project for a biomass co-generator in the ski-resort of Bankso than van Orden's nuclear dreams. (Ir. Jan Haverkamp is consultant on energy issues in Central Europe for Greenpeace and WISE/NIRS)
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