Bulgaria may suspend electricity export after 2007: officials

SOFIA, March 9 (Xinhua) -- Bulgaria is quite possibly to suspend selling electricity abroad after it shuts down two other nuclear units in the end of 2006, warned energy officials from the country's National Electricity Company (NEC) Thursday.

The closure of units 3 and 4, which are considered by the European Union to shun a danger of nuclear leak, was negotiated with the EU as part of Bulgaria's pre-accession engagements. In December 2002 the Balkan country decommissioned units 1 and 2 in the Balkans Kozlodui nuclear power plant.

Thus, in the beginning of 2007, the plant will continue operating on two units only - 5 and 6, officials from NEC told to local Sofia News Agency, it will lead to electricity shortage for the country and force it to suspend its export.

"And the alternative energy sources are to start operating not earlier than 2009," underlined the officials.

Bulgaria is realizing dozen of energy projects to make up the eventual electricity shortage.

These projects include a mighty hydro power plant -- Tsankov Kamuk, Gorna Arda hydro cascade in the Rhodopes mountain, three gas and two coal power plants and the country's second nuclear power plant at Belene.

Bulgaria has boasted to be the fourth major energy exporter in Europe in 2005, after France, the Czech Republic and Poland.