The Bulgarian government’s choice of South Korea’s Hyundai Engineering & Construction (Hyundai E&C) to build the proposed Kozloduy-7 and -8 AP1000 units is a well-thought-out decision, but a 15 April deadline imposed by the Bulgarian National Assembly on 26 February for starting negotiations on the contract seems too close, a nuclear power expert has said.

“Hyundai E&C signed a partnership agreement with Westinghouse Electric Company in May 2022 and are looking to expand their cooperation in Europe,” said Milko Kovachev, Bulgaria’s energy minister from 2001-2005, and a former head of department at the International Atomic Energy Agency, speaking to NucNet on 28 February.

Over the last 10 years, the South Koreans have been looking at opportunities to work in Europe in compliance with EU regulation, he said. This means the choice made by the Bulgarian government to choose Hyundai E&C cannot come as a surprise.