Mirion and IAEA Partner to Strengthen Nuclear Safety

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Mirion Technologies has signed a partnership agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to enhance collaboration in radiation detection and measurement. The initiative will support the IAEA’s Terrestrial Environmental Radiochemistry (TERC) Laboratory with advanced equipment, expert training, and improved analytical capabilities.

As part of the agreement, Mirion will provide instrumentation and software, contribute to training programs, and support an annual internship through the Mirion Scholarship. This marks the first practical arrangement of its kind with the TERC Laboratory and highlights the importance of cooperation between the private sector and international organizations to promote the safe and peaceful use of nuclear technology.

“For 20 years, we’ve been a system – resilient, balanced, alive.”

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On June 11, 2025, in Sofia, at the elegant 2020 Event Space, we celebrated the 20th anniversary of EnergoService.

The event brought together colleagues, partners, and friends with whom the company has shared not only a professional journey but also core values – trust, commitment, and a dedication to high standards.

It was an evening filled with inspiration, heartfelt words, and many smiles – a true celebration of our shared path and future vision.

EnergoService and Radiation Shield Technologies Sign Distribution Agreement for Bulgaria

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EnergoService and Radiation Shield Technologies (RST) have signed a distribution agreement, under which the company will act as the official representative of RST products on the Bulgarian market. This partnership aims to expand the brand’s presence in Bulgaria and provide high-quality products to Bulgarian customers.

Radiation Shield Technologies (RST) is a leader in the production of personal protective equipment against ionizing radiation. The company’s flagship product is Demron™ — an innovative, lightweight, non-toxic, and lead-free fabric designed to protect the human body from radiation while allowing full mobility.

RST’s product line includes:
– Full-body protective suits: Provide comprehensive protection against various types of radiation.
– Torso vests with single-layer and double-layer protection: Ensure protection of vital organs.
– Multifunctional Demron ICE protective suits: Designed to protect against chemical, biological, and radiological threats.
– Protective coverings for personnel: Provide radiation protection for medical staff and civil defense.

All products are designed to deliver a high level of protection, comfort, and mobility for users.

Source: https://www.radshield.com/

HAPPY ENERGY DAY

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The team of “EnergoService” AD congratulates its employees, partners and all professionals in the field of energy sector on the occasion of their professional holiday.

Wishing you health and inexhaustible energy to overcome crises.

Let us continue the development of our engineering activities in support of the clean nuclear energy.

HAPPY HOLIDAY!

Westinghouse Signs Key Contract for AP1000® Reactor with Bulgaria’s Kozloduy NPP-Newbuild to Support Bulgaria’s Energy Future

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*Westinghouse Senior Vice President for Commercial Operations Elias Gedeon, right, and Valentin Iliev, CEO of Kozloduy NPP – Newbuild.

Source: https://info.westinghousenuclear.com/news/westinghouse-signs-kozloduy-contract-in-bulgaria

Contract Confirms the AP1000® Reactor as the Most Advanced and Proven Technology Available to Serve the Need for Competitive, Clean and Secure Energy

Cranberry Township, PA, June 14, 2023 – Westinghouse Electric Company today announced it signed a Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) contract with Bulgaria’s Kozloduy NPP-Newbuild for a new AP1000® reactor to be located at the Kozloduy site. Work is commencing per the agreement to assess Bulgarian industry and the existing infrastructure at the Kozloduy site for its potential to support the construction of an AP1000 reactor.

“We are pleased to begin work to deliver the world’s most advanced, Generation III+ reactor technology to provide clean and reliable baseload energy for our customer and the people of Bulgaria,” said David Durham, Energy Systems President for Westinghouse. “We thank Kozloduy NPP-Newbuild and the Bulgarian Parliament for their confidence in our industry-leading, Nth of a kind technology. We commend Kozloduy NPP-Newbuild for their thoughtful approach to best-in-class project delivery that will ensure high localization of the work.”

Earlier this year, both entities signed a memorandum of understanding establishing a joint working group to plan deployment of the AP1000 reactor in Bulgaria. The working group is evaluating regulatory, licensing and design requirements and developing a streamlined execution path in support of Bulgaria’s energy strategy. The FEED contract is the first step in delivering the AP1000 reactor project.

There are currently two Russian-designed VVER-1000 reactors in operation at the Kozloduy site. Westinghouse signed a 10-year agreement in December 2022 to supply nuclear fuel to one of the units starting in 2024. The fuel will be supplied out of Westinghouse’s fabrication site in Västerås, Sweden and is the only fully Western option to Russian supply.

The AP1000 advanced reactor is the only operating Generation III+ reactor with fully passive safety systems, modular construction design and has the smallest footprint per MWe on the market. In addition to one AP1000 reactor operating and another nearing completion at the Vogtle site in Georgia, four AP1000 units are currently setting operational performance records in China with six additional reactors under construction. Poland recently selected the AP1000 technology for its nuclear energy program and nine units have been announced for Ukraine. The technology is under consideration at multiple other sites in Central and Eastern Europe, the United Kingdom, and in the United States.

 

Westinghouse Manager for Bulgaria Says 2032 Realistic for Westinghouse Reactor to Become Operational at Kozloduy NPP

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*The article is published by Yoanna Vodenova (BTA)

Westinghouse Country Manager for Bulgaria Ivan Pironkov said on Tuesday during a conference on the development of nuclear energy, held in Sofia, that 2032 is a realistic deadline for a Westinghouse reactor to be operational at the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant site, and Bulgaria could be the first country in Europe to commission the AP1000 reactor. He said that there are currently four such reactors operating in China and two more units are about to be commissioned in the US.

Pironkov pointed out that six reactors in Ukraine, of a similar type to those at Kozloduy NPP, have already switched to using nuclear fuel from Westinghouse. Four of them are at the Zaporizhzhya NPP and two at the South Ukraine NPP.

“This shows that the fuel we are proposing for Kozloduy NPP is not a pilot project, but a technology that has already been tested and is working successfully and safely. Westinghouse has been developing fuel for VVER-1000 reactors since 1998, and the first plant for which such fuel was developed was the Czech Temelin NPP. For Kozloduy NPP we offer RWFA nuclear fuel, which has already proven its reliability in Ukraine. We also offer repairs of cartridges in cases of unsealing, because otherwise replacement costs a lot of money,” Pironkov explained.

He expressed hope that the Bulgarian authorities will allow the construction of a new nuclear power plant in Kozloduy so that Bulgaria remains a country with a nuclear power plant.

Westinghouse has been developing engineering activities in Bulgaria for more than 10 years, and a major programme to upgrade systems at Kozloduy NPP is currently underway. The company is also working on projects in Spain, UK, United Arab Emirates (UAE), South Africa, etc., and it is the only one that has projects for refueling all types of nuclear reactors, Pironkov noted.

Bulatom President Bogomil Manchev said that developing the energy sector simultaneously develops the economy. According to him, if the Westinghouse unit becomes operational by 2038, Bulgaria will be able to start closing the coal plants in the Maritsa basin, but he expressed concern over economic stability in that period of time, because of the high emission prices. Manchev fully supported the government’s energy strategy because it includes a forecasting period of nearly 30 years ahead, while nuclear power requires at least 20-30 years of planning. According to him, the State should train about 10,000 engineers to provide the necessary personnel to work on the construction and operation of the new nuclear facilities, both the American and French ones. He noted that out of these 10,000 engineers, only a third will remain, but that is the ‘cost norm’ of highly qualified personnel worldwide.

Kishida calls for Japanese expansion of nuclear energy use

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Researched and written by World Nuclear News

Japan should work to restart its idled nuclear power reactors, consider extending their operating lives and develop “next-generation innovative reactors”, the country’s prime minister has said. In July, Fumio Kishida called for the maximum use of nuclear over the coming winter.

Following the second meeting of the Green Transformation (GX) Implementation Council via video, which he attended remotely, Kishida said: “The world’s energy situation has changed completely due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and a major shift is occurring in the global energy supply and demand structure. With future crisis scenarios in mind, Japan must firmly balance overcoming the current crisis and promoting GX.”

He added, “In order to overcome the current crisis of tight power supply and demand, we will mobilise all possible measures not only this winter but also for the next few years to avoid unforeseen circumstances. In particular, with regard to nuclear power plants, in addition to securing the operation of the 10 units that have already restarted, the government will take all possible measures to restart nuclear power plants that have already been permitted to be installed.”

Kishida said Japan will “boldly accelerate” the development of power systems, accelerate the introduction of stationary storage batteries, and promote power sources such as offshore wind power in order to expand the introduction of renewable energy.

“In addition, with regard to nuclear power, it is necessary to mobilise the collective efforts of all parties concerned toward restarting operations, and to extend the operating period on the premise of ensuring safety,” Kishida said, noting that items that will require political decisions in the future, such as the maximum use of nuclear power plants and the development and construction of next-generation innovative reactors incorporating new safety mechanisms, had been presented in the meeting.

Under revised regulations which came into force in July 2013, Japanese reactors have a nominal operating period of 40 years. Extensions may be granted once only and are limited to a maximum of 20 years, contingent on exacting safety requirements.

Kishida noted some of these measures will take time to realise, “but renewable energy and nuclear power are decarbonised energies that are indispensable for promoting GX.”

Kishida requested the GX Implementation Council submit a report on “concrete conclusions” by the end of the year “on all measures, including the institutional framework for evaluating these as options for the future, and how the parties concerned should make efforts to further deepen public understanding.”

The GX Implementation Council, which first met on 27 July, is tasked with finding ways to move to a carbon-neutral society by 2050.

Last month, Kishida called for up to nine of the ten reactors that have already been restarted to be in operation over the winter to avoid electricity shortages. This, he said, would secure about 10% of Japan’s total electricity consumption.

Prior to the March 2011 accident at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, Japan’s nuclear generating capacity had provided around 30% of the country’s electricity. However, within 14 months of the accident, the country’s nuclear generation had been brought to a standstill pending regulatory change. So far, ten of Japan’s 39 operable reactors have cleared inspections confirming they meet the new regulatory safety standards and have resumed operation. Another 17 reactors have applied to restart. In 2021, nuclear energy provided just 7.2% of the country’s electricity.

Landmark reached in Slovak nuclear decommissioning project

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By Christopher  Booth

Two Soviet-era reactors at the Bohunice nuclear power plant in the Slovak Republic have been fully dismantled and the components decontaminated for safe storage or recycling.

The work was funded through the Bohunice International Decommissioning Support Fund (BIDSF) supported by the European Commission together with Austria, Denmark, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom and managed by the EBRD.

This is the first time reactors of this type have been decommissioned and disassembled directly on site. The work was completed on schedule and within budget and will provide valuable experience and expertise for other decommissioning work around the world.

Work at the site to take apart and process the remaining equipment and systems will be completed by 2025. Civil structures and power plant buildings will then be demolished, and the area made safe for redevelopment by 2027.

Source: https://www.ebrd.com/news/video/landmark-reached-in-slovak-nuclear-decommissioning-project-.html

SALTO Peer Review Mission Was Conducted at Kozloduy NPP

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From 06 through to 15 July, a SALTO* peer review mission of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was held. It reviewed the activities for ensuring long-term operation (LTO) of Units 5 and 6.

The mission team implemented a thorough review of the documentation, and during working meetings with experts and managers of the nuclear power plant discussed the activities in the review areas of “Organization of ageing management and LTO activities”,“ Scope setting, plant programmes and corrective action programmes”,  “Ageing management of mechanical SSCs”, “Ageing management of electrical and I&C SSCs”, “Ageing management of civil SSCs”, and “Human resources, competence and knowledge management for LTO”.

The review team, composed of experts from the Czech Republic, Spain, Slovakia, and UAE, together with three IAEA representatives, found good performance that will be shared with the international professional community. Suggestions were made for further improvement of the activities implemented for safe long-term operation.

The Chief Executive Officer of Kozloduy NPP appreciated highly the IAEA support for the nuclear power plant pointing out that the results from this mission would contribute for enhancing the activities that ensure the safe operation of Units 5 and 6 in the extended lifetime period.

The IAEA Team Leader, Gabor Petofi, noted that Kozloduy NPP staff demonstrated professionalism, openness, and receptiveness to the suggestions for improvement, and that the measures for safe LTO were performed in a timely manner and in compliance with the IAEA safety standards.

This SALTO mission was preceded by two pre-SALTO missions – one on Unit 5, in 2016, and one on Unit 6, in 2018.

*SALTO – Safety Aspects of Long Term Operation

sources: www.kznpp.org

https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/IAEA-reviews-long-term-safety-of-Bulgarian-plant