The Bulgarian energy ministry said on Friday it has signed four agreements with
the donors of the Kozloduy International Decommissioning Support Fund (KIDSF)
for grants totaling 34.6 million euro ($47 million) earmarked mainly for energy
efficiency projects.
The KIDSF facility, administered by the European
Bank for Reconstruction and Development, was set up with EU funds to support
projects related to the decommissioning of four nuclear reactors at Kozloduy
power plant as well as to supports projects for restructuring and upgrades in
Bulgaria's energy sector.
The implementation of the projects will help
Bulgaria make 240,000 megawatt-hours in energy savings while cutting CO2
emissions by 96,000 tonnes per year, the ministry said in a press release,
quoting energy minister Dragomir Stoynev.
KIDSF will provide 15 million
euro coal miner Mini Maritsa Iztok to replace three outmoded
excavators.
The second beneficiary under the KIDSF initiative will be the
country’s Electricity System Operator which will receive 4.1 million euro for
the development of data collection, monitoring and management systems. The
investment will ensure the security of electricity delivery to individuals and
industrial users.
Another 5.0 million euro have been granted to
Bulgaria’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Sources Fund which will assist
municipalities in reducing the energy footprint of public buildings.
The
remaining 10.5 million euro in funding were agreed with the KIDSF at the end of
2013 to stimulate the gasification of the residential sector.
The
Bulgarian energy ministry has signed agreements for a total of 811.3 million
euro with the KIDSF Assembly of Donors since its establishment in 2001,
including 390.6 million euro for non-nuclear projects.