Rosatom

Bulgaria has committed to a fast-track payment of the debt on the Belene nuclear power plant (NPP) project, Energy Minister Temenuzhka Petkova has said.

In return, Atomstroyexport, the company which was involved in the Belene NPP, will not demand interest generated on the money.

There was only one good aspect of the diplomatic crisis between Russia and Turkey that erupted after the downing of a Russian war plane by Turkish jets on the Syrian border nearly a year ago: The possible suspension of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant project. 

The Sofia City Prosecutor's Office has formally indicted two former state officials over their move to sign an unfavourable contract with Russian company Atomstroyexport in 2007.

The document, under which Bulgaria procures equipment for the Belene nuclear power plant (NPP) project, was signed without the government's consent.

Russian and Iranian firms began work on Sept. 10 on two additional reactors at Iran's nuclear power plant on the Gulf coast at Bushehr, the project manager said.

The plant has been a bone of contention with Iran's Gulf Arab neighbors, even after a deal limiting its nuclear ambitions was signed with major powers in July last year.

Turkish construction firm Cengiz is in talks about buying up to 49 percent of the $20 billion Akkuyu nuclear power plant being built by Russia's Rosatom, a source familiar with the matter said on April 27.

Turkey on Dec. 9 insisted it was not dependent on Russia to build its first nuclear power plant amid uncertainty over the $20 billion project because of the crisis in relations between Ankara and Moscow.

Russia's state atomic agency Rosatom began constructing the plant in Akkuyu in the southern Mersin province on the shores of the Mediterranean in April.     

Russia signed two agreements Nov. 19 to finance and build Egypt's first nuclear power plant, in a ceremony attended by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

A senior manager at Turkey's first nuclear power plant in the Mediterranean province of Mersin has resigned from his post, claiming that even though Turkey needs nuclear technology, it should not be done with contracted Russian company Rosatom. 

Turkey?s Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EPDK) announced June 25 that it granted a pre-license to Akkuyu Nuclear Joint Stock Company for 36 months for Turkey?s first nuclear power plant.

Akkuyu Nuclear will build the Akkuyu nuclear power plant (Akkuyu NPP) in Turkey?s southern province of Mersin. According to plans, it will become fully operational in 2023.

Turkish Minister Taner Y?ld?z said it is not possible for Turkey to cancel the construction of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant as the project has been made upon an intergovernmental agreement between Turkey and Russia, in contrary to the opposition parties' claims.