Bulgaria signs deal for nuclear fuel from non-Russian source

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Bulgaria’s only nuclear plant has signed a deal with Westinghouse Electric Sweden to provide nuclear fuel for one of its reactors, in a bid to diversify its energy supplies. The Kozloduy plant currently uses nuclear fuel supplied by Russian firm Rosatom to operate the two Russian-designed VVER-1000 nuclear reactors that generate about one-third of the EU country’s electricity. The energy minister said that the 10-year deal with Westinghouse will help to guarantee normal operations amid the unclear situation with the deliveries of nuclear fuel from Russia. He added that a similar contract will be signed soon with France’s Framatome for the supply of fuel for the second 1,000-megawatt unit.