Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 403: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the agreement between his European counterparts on the EU's plan to prolong its financial support for the decommissioning of four blocks of the nuclear power plant at Kozloduy, Bulgaria, until the end of 2013; if the EU will call for stricter financial controls and more investment in energy efficiency by the Bulgarian authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22847/10]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant is a first generation reactor of Soviet design that was previously identified as posing a major safety risk to human health and the environment. As part of its pre-accession agreement with the EU, Bulgaria agreed to shut down all four reactors at Kozloduy. Units 1 and 2 were shut down at the end of 2003. Units 3 and 4 were shut down immediately prior to Bulgaria's accession to the EU in 2006. To support preparatory decommissioning activities at Kozloduy, the EU agreed to provide €210 million to Bulgaria in the period 2007-2009, which has now been paid in full. The European Commission confirmed that Bulgaria, for its part, fulfilled its own commitments to the EU in respect of this agreement.

In 2005 Bulgaria requested additional EU support of €300 million for the period 2010-2013, of which 60% would cover accelerated decommissioning and 40% measures in the energy sector for the purpose of improving security of supply and efficiency measures. Similar agreements were already in place with Slovakia and Lithuania to support their decommissioning activities up to 2013.

In October 2009 the European Commission presented its proposal for a Council Regulation for the continuation of support for the decommissioning of Units 1 to 4 of the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant in Bulgaria, known as the 'Kozloduy Programme'. On 20 May 2010 the European Parliament voted to support an amended version of the proposal. Following further consideration by the Commission, it is understood that a revised proposal will be put to Ministers of all EU Member States for decision at a European Council meeting later this year.