Bulgaria seeks South Korean cooperation on new nuclear projects, energy minister says

About 70% of Bulgarians support the move, Stankov told a Bulgarian-Korean energy forum in Sofia, titled "Clean, Secure, Competitive: The Energy Mix for Strategic Autonomy".

"We cannot do this alone and are working with companies from the Republic of Korea. I hope a final investment decision will be made next year," he said.

Stankov said there were opportunities not only in large reactors but also in small modular reactors.

He added that recent power outages in Spain and Portugal had shown the importance of reliable energy supplies. Sofia had decided to invest in electricity storage batteries so the country could act as a balancing energy force in the Balkans, he said.