The Bulgarian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NRA) has received an application for a siting permit for a proposed second new reactor unit at the existing Kozloduy nuclear power station, a statement by the agency said.

The NRA said the application is for what will be the Kozloduy-8 reactor unit and represents the first step in the overall process of licensing a new nuclear facility.

The agency said it will prepare a programme for a comprehensive review and assessment of the submitted application and the documents attached to it.

Bulgaria plans to deploy two Westinghouse-made AP1000 pressurised water reactor (PWR) units at Kozloduy, on the Danube river near the border with Romania in the north of the country. The new units would be Kozloduy-7 and Kozloduy-8.