site.btaGERB Leader Borissov: Belene NPP Reactors Will Not Be Sold, Can Be Used for Artificial Intelligence Centers

There is interest from American companies in building artificial intelligence centres in this country, which is why direct current is needed, commented GERB leader Boyko Borissov on the information that the reactors from the Belene NPP site will not be sold to Ukraine.

Borissov told journalists in Parliament that representatives of the top three global funds, who have an exceptional interest in building huge data centres, have contacted the Bulgarian authorities and visited.

The GERB leader added that this a new goal for the US and the UK, but for the construction of these centers two things are needed - direct current of at least 1,000 megawatts, which can be produced by nuclear reactors, gas or thermal power plants. Another condition is the presence of a "large river for cooling". Kozloduy has both, Borissov added.

He explained that representatives of these funds have asked Bulgaria to wait with its decision to sell the reactors from the Belene NPP to Ukraine in order to talk to US President Donald Trump.

“We have the best infrastructure, the best power transmission system, the qualified workforce and selected builders and contractors for reactors 7 and 8 [of the Kozloduy NPP]”, explained the GERB leader. He recalled that delegations sent by the US have already come to Bulgaria to see the reactors for Belene, which this country paid to Russia in the amount of USD 600 million, according to the decision of an arbitration court in Paris.

Borissov said that the perfect condition of these reactors is evidenced by Ukraine’s interest in the, as the country wants to use them to build a new nuclear power plant 400 km from Bulgaria.

He stressed that Bulgaria, with the support of American funds and together with Westinghouse, should build such data centres, which would be the best way to use these reactors and the country should not “ give away BGN 1 billion” by selling them.

"That's why [Deputy Prime Minister and BSP Chairman Atanas] Zafirov talked to me, I told him: Let's wait, we have the option to sell them, we haven't sold them for 10 years, we might sell them next month, we might sell them in five months. But until then, I want President Trump, Elon Musk, Microsoft, Bill Gates, to be interested, if we can do this thing, I don't believe there is a Bulgarian who wouldn't want the most powerful artificial intelligence to be here,” Borissov argued. 

“I want to do something with the British, with the Americans, that will be huge. If it works, it works. If not, we sell them,” added the GERB leader.

Zafirov said on Tuesday that the two reactors for the Belene NPP will not be sold.

He indicated that he had held talks with the partners in the Joint Management Council, as well as with Borissov, regarding the fate of the two reactors for the Belene NPP. An agreement was reached not to sell them. “Together we stood behind this extremely important strategic choice,” he added and pointed out that these reactors are not for sale, but are a key asset for Bulgaria, part of its energy security and economic independence.

Zafirov then indicated that he was ready for this decision to be embodied in a resolution of the National Assembly.