The reduction by 120 megawatts of the power of the 5th unit of the “Kozloduy“ NPP will not affect the energy system and does not create a risk to the country's energy security. This was stated on bTV by Kiril Georgiev, Executive Director of the Electricity System Operator.
“It is currently working according to a schedule that is being implemented at full capacity“, Georgiev said regarding the operation of the 5th unit.
Starting tomorrow, the reactor's power will be reduced by 120 megawatts. According to the executive director of the Electricity System Operator, this will not have a significant impact on the energy system.
“It cannot affect the energy system, for the simple reason that 120 megawatts is too small to be any kind of reflection of anything“, he said.
Georgiev pointed out that Bulgaria currently exports about 1,500 megawatts of electricity per hour.
“Keep in mind that Bulgaria's exports are about 1,500 megawatts per hour. That's 36,000 megawatt hours over 2 nights. So some 120 megawatts cannot be reflected in any way“, he said.
According to him, the export of electricity is realized when there is a surplus after covering the country's needs.
“And this export, whenever there is a surplus, is with absolute satisfaction of the needs of the Bulgarian market, of household consumers, of industry. It is not something that can turn things around“, Georgiev pointed out.
He was also asked whether there is a danger to the operation of the plant due to the preventive reduction in power.
„No, I doubt it, my colleagues have a protocol and they follow it“, replied the executive director of the Electricity System Operator.
According to him, this is not the first time in years that the power of the unit has had to be reduced for various reasons.
„It is not the first time in years that the unit has been reduced. For one reason or another“, said Georgiev and added: “But no, I don't see anything scary about it.“
When asked whether preventive measures are planned to increase the reduced power and whether other reactors will be affected by the low level of the Danube River, Georgiev said that at the moment we cannot talk about a level that is too low.
“No, at this stage we cannot talk about a level that is too low. "Okay, the level is critical, but at the moment everything is working normally," he pointed out.
Georgiev also drew attention to the meteorological situation along the Danube.
„Keep in mind that almost the entire Danube river basin, in Western Europe, and in Budapest, and in Vienna, and Linz, it is raining everywhere there“, he said.
According to him, an increase in the level of the Danube River in Germany was also recorded today.
„Today we have an increase in the level of the Danube River in Germany by 22 cm“, said the executive director of the Electricity System Operator.
At the end of the conversation, Georgiev was categorical that the reduction in the power of the 5th unit by 120 megawatts does not pose a threat to Bulgaria's energy security.
„Not at all. "Don't worry about it at all, it can't happen. The amount of electricity is too small. 120 megawatts, they can't turn things around," said Kiril Georgiev.