Russia wins tender to build Belene NPP in Bulgaria

MOSCOW, October 30 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's nuclear power equipment and service export monopoly Atomstroiexport has won a tender to build the Belene nuclear power plant in Bulgaria, the southeast European country's electricity monopoly said Monday.

The board of Bulgaria's National Electric Company (NEK) said it had selected Atomstroiexport to build two 1,000 megawatt reactors for the NPP in Belene, about 150 miles from the country's capital, Sofia.

A spokesman for Atomstroiexport said the company also planned to attract the French firm Areva NP and Germany's Siemens to help build the plant.

The spokesman said the NPP's first unit was planned to be launched by 2011, and the second in 2013.

The Czech Republic's Skoda and British-American consortium Westinghouse were the other two bidders for the NPP's construction.

Atomstroiexport implements intergovernmental agreements to build nuclear facilities abroad. It is the world's only company simultaneously building five nuclear power units, in China, India and Iran.