Bulgarian Environmental Groups Demand Public Review of Water Engineering Project Near Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant

WWF Bulgaria has called for the prompt public disclosure of the technical plans and final design selection for the proposed hydraulic structures near the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant, as well as for public discussions to be organized before construction work begins in the Danube riverbed.

The organization stated that the purpose of the proposed project is to raise local water levels during prolonged droughts and historically low Danube water levels, ensuring the stable operation of the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant's cooling system. The organization has sent an open letter to Bulgaria's Minister of Energy, Minister of Transport and Communications, and Minister of Environment and Water, raising these demands.

WWF Bulgaria noted that the Danube is an international waterway, and any engineering intervention involving the riverbed requires careful assessment of environmental, socio-economic, hydro-morphological, and transboundary impacts. Given the complexity of the factors involved in the project, relevant analyses, model results, and design justifications should be made public in a timely manner and subjected to transparent public discussion.

The organization stated that it remains unclear whether the hydraulic structure is intended as a temporary or permanent facility, nor is its height, structural form, or the proportion of the river cross-section it would occupy known. The organization also requested clarification on how the project would alter flow velocity distribution, and called for an assessment of its potential impacts on sediment transport, erosion and siltation, navigation channels, riverbanks, islands, and river habitats.

WWF Bulgaria also noted that Hungary's Paks Nuclear Power Plant and Romania's Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant have faced similar cooling water challenges, where related riverbed engineering interventions produced complex hydraulic effects and required additional follow-up measures. This background has heightened the organization's concern regarding the project near the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant.

Bulgaria's Minister of Energy, Eva Petrova, stated in early August that a dam approximately 250 to 300 meters in length is planned for construction on the Danube near the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant. She noted that the project is currently in the design phase, with the final results of the detailed design yet to be announced.