Russia to Return to Bulgaria 180 Tonnes of High-Level Radioactive Waste in 2025-2035

In the period 2025-2035, Russia is to return to Bulgaria 180 tonnes of high-level radioactive waste generated as a result of the functioning of units 1-4 of the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant, according to Dilyan Petrov, Executive Director of the State Enterprise Radioactive Waste (SERAW).

Speaking at a seminar for journalists in the northwestern town of Kozloduy, Petrov noted that the colossal amount of radioactive material which Bulgaria was expected to receive on its territory would be stored at the site of Kozloduy NPP.

He informed that the hazardous waste would be encapsulated upon arrival at the site in Kozloduy.

Petrov, as cited by money.bg, stated that a total of EUR 1.107 B was necessary for the decommissioning of units 1-4 of the Kozloduy NPP, adding that the financial shortage stood at EUR 342 M, with the remaining sum provided by the Kozloduy International Decommissioning Support Fund and the state budget.

He said that the money spent so far on the dismantling of the Kozloduy NPP units amounted to around EUR 224 M.
Petrov told journalists that the preparation for the dismantling of the Kozloduy NPP units would start in mid-April and that it would include an assessment of their current condition.

The Executive Director of the SERAW pointed out that around 90% of the waste related to the dismantling of the Kozloduy NPP units would be low-level radioactive waste and intermediate-level waste.

Petrov made clear that around 7200 tonnes of equipment had been dismantled from the engine rooms in 2014 and some 7200 tonnes of equipment were to be dismantled in 2015.

He said that the sale of dismantled equipment had so far fetched around BGN 5 M.

The Executive Director of SERAW declared that units 1 and 2 of the...