After abandoning plans for a Belene nuclear plant last month, the Bulgarian government approved the development of a new reactor at the country's existing Kozloduy nuclear station.
The facility will seek an investor to finance the project and not rely on taxpayer's money.
"The state will neither use budget money nor issue state guarantees," Finance Minister Simeon Djankov said after the cabinet session.
Kozlody currently has 2 operating reactors, with a total capacity of 2,000 MW. The new reactor – projected to be completed in 2021 or 2022 – will raise Kozlody's capacity to 3,000 MW.
Whether the Belene reactor, already commissioned and almost completed by Russian company Atomstroyexport, will be installed in Kozloduy was not revealed Wednesday. However, according to Reuters, nuclear experts say the installation of the Belene reactor at the Kozloduy plant would be extremely difficult.