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Brussels Still Indecisive on Belene Nuclear Power Plant

Brussels has not given a green light yet to the construction of Belene NPP, Bulgaria's would-be second nuke.  "The European Commission has not approved launching of the project,"  said yesterday Ferran Tarradellas, spokesman of Commissioner Andris Piebalgs, quoted by the Bulgarian News Agency. Thus, he disproved press reports in Bulgaria maintaining that the European Commission had approved of Russian Atomstroyexport as subcontractor to the project. On Tuesday, the National Electrical Company, holder of 51% of the shares of the new NPP capitals, reported that a positive respond had been received from the EC Directorate General for Energy and Transport on the agreement between NEC and Atomstroyexport that was signed in the end of last year. Yesterday, however, sources from NEC clarified that it actually did not mean approval of Belene project. The positive response was in line with Bulgaria's commitment to submit for approval all agreements concluded with the non-EU members before Bulgaria's EU accession.
Brussels' position makes difficult raising funds for the plant construction, the NEC explained. High-ranking sources maintain that if Brussels gives a positive signal for launching of Belene project, financial institutions would be more agreeable to granting a loan. The Bulgarian state has already allotted 600 million euro guarantee for Belene loan.

Ivailo Velkov