RWE has changed its mind about Bulgaria’s Belene nuclear power plant project, Economy and Energy Minister Traicho Traikov said yesterday, indicating the German utility may walk out of the project. RWE was not immediately available for comment.
Traikov told parliament that Bulgaria’s new center-right government would open a tender to pick more investors for the 2,000-megawatt plant currently under construction on the Danube River as part of plans to reduce the state’s 51 percent stake and raise funding.
The new cabinet of Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, which won July general elections, has launched a review of Belene, questioning the need for new power capacity as well as costs which it said could reach 10 billion euros (15 billion US dollars). The plant has also faced opposition from environmental organizations.
(KATHIMERINI, 10/24/2009)