Westinghouse extends a key contract related to the construction of nuclear facilities with AP1000® technology in Bulgaria

Westinghouse Electric Company announced the signing of an additional agreement to extend the term and scope of the contract for preliminary engineering activities (FEED) with the Kozloduy-New Powers NPP for the construction of two reactors with AP1000® technology. The extension of the contract testifies to the already achieved progress on the project for the construction of new capacities at the site in Kozloduy, as well as the support that Westinghouse provides for the diversification of nuclear fuel sources and for the safe and efficient operation of the nuclear units put into operation at the Kozloduy NPP ". This was announced by the company today.

Westinghouse and "Kozloduy NPP-New capacities" concluded a contract for preliminary engineering activities in June 2023 in order to assess the readiness of the industry in Bulgaria and the possibilities of using the already built infrastructure at the site in Kozloduy for the construction of new nuclear capacities with AR1000® technology. After the execution of this contract, the next stage of the new nuclear capacity building program is related to the execution of an engineering services contract, which will initiate the activities of design, licensing, development of training programs, structuring of management programs of the basic design and planning of site activities, and this contract will be executed prior to the signing of the final engineering, supply and construction contract.

Westinghouse is strongly committed to the implementation of the project at the Kozloduy site, as well as to the expansion of our supply chain to include new companies from Bulgaria, and this project is extremely important not only for the countries of the Balkan Peninsula, but also for all of Europe," commented Daniel Lippmann, President Power Systems at Westinghouse. "We highly value our cooperation with Kozloduy NPP-New Capacities and are ready for the next important steps on the way to guaranteeing Bulgaria's energy security."

Earlier this year, as part of the signed 10-year contract for the supply of fresh nuclear fuel, Westinghouse supported the diversification of nuclear fuel supplies in Bulgaria by supplying Kozloduy NPP with the first fuel assemblies for VVER-1000 type reactors, which were successfully loaded at the fifth power unit of the Kozloduy NPP.

The AP1000® is the only Generation III+ nuclear reactor deployed in final commercial operation using fully passive safety systems that has a modular construction design and the lowest carbon footprint per MWe. Four reactors with AP1000® technology today set operational efficiency records in China, eight more reactors are under construction and there is an approved project for the construction of four more power units with this technology. In the USA, at the Vogtle NPP site in the state of Georgia, there are already two power units with AP1000® technology put into final commercial operation. Bulgaria, Poland and Ukraine have also chosen the AP1000® technology for the construction of new nuclear facilities, with the technology being the subject of interest for implementation at many other sites in Central and Eastern European countries, the United Kingdom, India and the United States. By the end of this decade, 18 nuclear power units with AP1000® technology are expected to enter final commercial operation worldwide.