Iva Petrova: Nuclear energy requires us to think beyond political cycles and the framework of individual projects

The Minister of Energy Iva Petrova participated in the 19th European Nuclear Energy Forum (ENEF) in Prague, the press center of the relevant ministry reported. Within the framework of a panel dedicated to European strategic priorities in nuclear energy, policies, the public environment and financing, she focused on the conditions for transforming European ambitions into real investments and sustainable industrial capacity. The discussion was also attended by Celine Gauer - Director General of DG “Energy“ in the European Commission, Tomas Eller - Director General for Nuclear Energy and New Technologies at the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic, and Marcin Nowacki - President of the TEN Section of the European Economic and Social Committee.
“Nuclear energy requires us to think beyond political cycles and the framework of individual projects. It is a long-term commitment that implies predictable policies, public trust, trained personnel and sustainable financing“, emphasized Minister Petrova.
Bulgaria is building on more than 50 years of experience in the operation of nuclear power plants, a strong professional community and a well-established institutional and regulatory capacity. The country is already implementing a diversification strategy, which started with the supply of nuclear fuel and gradually covers the rest of the chain activities, including the maintenance of existing equipment. In parallel, work is underway on the project for the construction of new nuclear power plants at the Kozloduy NPP site and an assessment of the potential role of small modular reactors is being carried out. Among the key conditions for the implementation of these projects are a predictable investment environment, a clear distribution of risks and responsibilities, and the preparation of the next generation of specialists.
Minister Petrova highlighted public trust and human capital development as interrelated tasks. She gave an example of the open days organized by the Bulgarian nuclear power plant, which allow citizens to get acquainted with the work and safety measures. Universities are also involved in the preparation of personnel for future nuclear projects, including through framework agreements for cooperation with four Bulgarian higher education institutions.
“In order for Europe to benefit from the potential of small modular reactors, we must create conditions for standardization, repeated application of proven design solutions, and building a competitive industrial ecosystem“, said Iva Petrova. According to her, European cooperation can accelerate the development of industrial capacity, competences and financing, while taking into account the full contribution of nuclear energy to Europe's energy security, decarbonisation and competitiveness.