Bulgaria - World Nuclear Performance Report

Bulgaria has one nuclear power plant, Kozloduy, located on the river Danube about 110 km north of Sofia. It has two operating VVER-1000 reactors, with a combined capacity of 2006 MWe. Four VVER-440 units were shut down in the 2000s as a condition of the country joining the European Union.

In January 2023 the energy minister set out an energy strategy that includes plans for two new reactors at Kozloduy and two at Belene. The strategy outlines the continued use of coal until 2030 before reducing its use to zero by 2038.

The same month, the National Assembly voted by 112 to 45, with 39 abstentions, in favour of a draft decision asking ministers to negotiate with the US  government for a new AP1000 unit at Kozloduy.

In October 2023 the Council of Ministers in Bulgaria gave the go-ahead for construction of two AP1000 units at Kozloduy. In January 2024 companies interested in being involved in the plant construction were invited to express their interest. In February it was announced that five companies had done so.

In December 2022 Bulgaria signed a 10-year deal with Westinghouse to supply fuel for Kozloduy 5. The first batch of Westinghouse VVER fuel was loaded into the reactor in May 2024, and the unit restarted from its annual scheduled shutdown in June.

Electricity geneation by age of reactor