Bulgaria is taking emergency measures to protect the operation of the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant as the critically low level of the Danube continues to create unusual conditions around the facility. Energy Minister Iva Petrova said there is currently no threat to electricity supplies or to the stability of the power system, while authorities are preparing a 250- to 300-meter dike expected to be completed within 10 to 15 days.
Petrova described the situation around the nuclear plant as extreme but said the teams on site were managing it. “The situation around the Kozloduy NPP is unusual, but there is no risk to supplies, there is no risk to the system, there is no impact on the security of supplies,” she said.
The low Danube level has forced Unit 5 of the plant to operate at slightly reduced capacity. Petrova said the unit had been unloaded to about 94%, although another statement cited a reduction to 91.4%. The hydrological conditions remain complicated, with the plant also facing problems caused by algae, which require daily cleaning and maintenance of hydraulic facilities.
“The plant has not operated under similar conditions, but the teams are coping,” Petrova said, adding that personnel were working around the clock to monitor the situation.
