The idea to build a natural gas power plant on the site of the Belene NPP is just one option but the fate of the terrain is yet to be decided, according to Valentin Nikolov, Bulgaria's Deputy Energy and Economy Minister.

In a Wednesday interview for Darik radio he explained that it was too early to say what would be built on the terrain designated for Bulgaria's second nuclear power plant.

"Let us not mix things up. This is just one option that we shall propose to investors willing to build a power plant there because Bulgaria needs a balancing capacity," Nikolov commented.

Asked to specify the cost of a natural gas power plant, he noted that it was a matter of rate of return and of amount of money invested, which he said was up to the investor.

Prior to Nikolov's statement, Traicho Traikov, former Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism argued that he had offered Russian Gazprom to build a gas power plant at Belene in exchange for a discount on the gas supply contracts with Bulgaria.

Gazprom's stance on the matter remains unknown, but Bulgarian state-owned gas supplier Bulgargaz failed to report any progress after last week's talks.

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