Bulgaria's energy minister urges nuclear planning beyond election cycles
Iva Petrova tells the European Nuclear Energy Forum that nuclear power needs predictable policies. New capacity is planned at Kozloduy and small reactors are being assessed.
Symbolic image · Photo: Vislupus / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
Bulgarian Energy Minister Iva Petrova called for long-term nuclear policy at the 19th European Nuclear Energy Forum (ENEF) in Prague. Planning must extend beyond political cycles and individual projects, she said, according to the BTA news agency. Nuclear energy requires predictable policies, public trust, skilled workers and sustainable funding. The panel also included Celine Gauer, the European Commission's director-general for energy.
Petrova pointed to Bulgaria's more than 50 years of nuclear operating experience. The country's diversification began with nuclear fuel supply and is being extended to maintenance of existing equipment. A project for new capacity is under way at the Kozloduy nuclear plant site, and the potential role of small modular reactors is being assessed. That requires conditions for standardization and repeated use of established designs, she said.
To build trust and train staff, Bulgaria relies on open days at the plant and framework cooperation agreements with four universities, the ministry said. Earlier in October, Petrova described nuclear power as a strategic choice for the country's energy security and competitiveness.