Minister: Bulgaria has alternative power sources if Kozloduy NPP shuts down

The Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant can continue operating for another week and a half if the Danube remains at its current level, Energy Minister Iva Petrova told Nova TV. Petrova said the unusually low level of the Danube had created a "challenging and dynamic situation" for Bulgaria's only nuclear power plant, but stressed that it was continuing to operate normally.

She added that Bulgaria's electricity system had sufficient generating capacity to meet domestic demand even if the plant were forced to reduce output or shut down temporarily.

Commenting on Bulgaria's record electricity exports of more than 32,000 megawatt-hours a day, Petrova said they reflected regional market conditions and the country's strong cross-border interconnections.

Editor: Ivo Ivanov