The Bulgarian nuclear sector in transition: Adopted Russian technology, state sovereignty and accession to the EU

Abstract

Applying the notion of ‘orders of worth’ (L. Boltanski, L. Thévenot), the paper explores the technology & policy challenges the Bulgarian nuclear energy sector faced from the mid-1980s to the early 2000s. Emerging after the 1960s based on Soviet technology and under Soviet political domination, it had to adapt to the new conditions set by the winners of the Cold War and to the pressure of local green movements. Key events included the completion of the second 1000 MW Soviet nuclear reactor at the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), the termination of work on the Belene NPP (1990–1991), and the painful decommissioning under EU pressure of the four old 440 MW reactors (2004–2006). The paper traces the public debates during these developments, the resources used by the actors to justify their behavior and draws conclusions about the peculiarities of emerging ‘technical democracies’ in Eastern Europe.