Unit 6 of Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant Shut Down for Turbine Equipment Replacement

Unit 6 of the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant in Bulgaria has been temporarily shut down to carry out technical work involving the replacement of safety membrane devices in the moisture separator reheaters of the turbine, located in the conventional non-nuclear part of the unit. The plant reported that the shutdown took place on March 3.

According to the operator, the new devices are manufactured from materials identical to those used in the original equipment. Tests conducted in independent laboratories confirmed that the materials meet all required technical and quality standards. After the completion of the planned maintenance works, Unit 6 will be reconnected to Bulgaria’s national power grid.

At the same time, Unit 5 of the power plant continues to operate according to schedule, generating approximately 1048 MW and ensuring the stability of the national energy system.

Earlier, on February 19, during parliamentary hearings, Kozloduy NPP Chief Executive Officer Ivan Andreev stated that the lost revenue from unproduced electricity due to two forced outages of Unit 6 in December 2025 and February 2026 is estimated at around 18 million Bulgarian lev. However, these losses should not be considered direct damages, as part of the lost production is expected to be compensated by adjusting and extending the schedule of the annual planned maintenance.

Experts at the Danube Research Institute note that the situation at Kozloduy NPP reflects a broader trend in European energy policy: maintaining high nuclear safety standards while gradually modernizing key components of existing nuclear infrastructure. For the wider Danube–Black Sea region, the stable operation of Kozloduy remains strategically important, as the plant continues to serve as a major source of baseload electricity for Southeastern Europe and contributes to regional energy stability.