The Project
Everything for New Build Project
Project Status
Environmental Impact Assessment
Analysis and environmental impact assessment
In accordance with the requirements of art. 81 of the Environmental Protection Act, the Project company undertook actions to perform an environmental impact assessment procedure (EIA). For the implementation of the EIA from the construction of a new nuclear powerplant on the site of Kozloduy NPP, the management of Kozloduy NPP – New Builds Plc concluded a contract with the international consortium Dikon AD – Aksion Inheneria, selected among seven candidates as a result of a competitive procedure.
The activities carried out under the above mentioned agreement are related to the preparation of “scope and content of the EIA report”, analysis and evaluation, as the results to be used to develop the EIA report itself. On the basis of the legal requirements, independent analyses and studies have been carried out as well as consultations with the institutions and public concerned, in transboundary aspect public hearings also have been conducted. Five meetings were held for public discussion of the EIA report in the Republic of Bulgaria and three in the Republic of Romania, as statemtnts were prepared in response to the comments of the public concerned, written consultations with the competent authorities in the federal Republic of Austria were carried out.
The results of the independent analyses and the assessment carried out for all phases of the development of the investment project-construction, operation and decommissioning of the nuclear power plant are limited to the following conclusions:
No non-radiation effects on components and environmental factors are expected;
Radiation effects on water, land and soil, geological environment, earth subsoil, land use, mineral diversity, biodiversity, ecology and cultural resources; areas inhabited by protected, important and sensitive species of flora and fauna; picturesque areas; places and objects of historical and cultural importance, objects protected by international or national law, as well as on human health are not expected.
It is not expected to have a negative impact of radioactive waste adhering the nuclear decommissioning plans and all existing Bulgarian and international legal requirements and practices;
The addition of the new facility to the radiation background in the region of Kozloduy regarding external radiation exposure is negligible even in cumulation with the existing nuclear facilities at the Kozloduy NPP site. The cumulative radiation exposure to the environment has been assessed as negligible and no cumulative non-radiation exposure is expected;
No transboundary impact is expected on the territories of neighbouring countries. The non-technical summary of the report, as well as the entire EIA can be downloaded from here.
On 27 January 2015 the Minister of Environment and Water approves the EIA report for the construction of new nuclear power plant on the site of Kozloduy NPP in the two alternatives for technical solutions for the nuclear newbuild: Alternative 1 – maximum use of equipment commissioned for the Belene NPP and Alternative 2 – entirely new reactor technology project.
The decision of the Minister of Environment and Water was appealed by representatives of NGOs and an administrative case was presented at the Supreme Administrative Court. This is a common practice for stopping or delaying the implementation of serious government projects by a small group of highly motivated and questionable “experts-ecologists”.