Bulgaria cancelled a new nuke

If Bulgaria can do it, Georgia can do it: end a new nuke boondoggle. Bulgaria started opposition when building the plant seemed irreversible, yet they reversed it. We can, too. And we can get on with solar and wind.

Rayna St. wrote for Global Voices 31 March 2012, Bulgaria: Construction of the Nuclear Power Plant “Belene” Cancelled,

On March 28, Bulgaria officially announced the cancellation of its newest nuclear power plant (NPP) “Belene” construction. The Parliament has stopped this controversial project after years of discussion and more than half a billion euros invested in the construction of the first reactor.

Nuclear opponents in Bulgaria undid a done deal, starting with this:

Enormous pressure to sign Protocol 12 of the contract for NPP “Belene” has been exerted on Bulgaria – signing it makes this project irreversible,…

That blogger and others kept up the pressure until the plant was cancelled.

So, what will Bulgaria do instead of nuclear power? Mark Anderson wrote for the Sacramento business Journal 7 March 2012, Premier Power begins constructing Bulgarian solar plant,

Premier Power Renewable Energy Inc. of El Dorado Hills says it has begun construction of a 16.2 megawatt solar power plant in Bulgaria.

The plant, on land that used to be a coal mine, should be completed by summer.

And look how it’s funded. PV Magazine wrote 7 March 2012, Bulgaria: Premier Power starts work on 16.2 MW PV project,

…a spokesperson for Premier Power told pv magazine that for an install like this, the cost of construction would range from between €30 million to €40 million for the four plants. An unnamed, Czech-based private investment company, has provided the necessary funding.

Solar is profitable and attracts private investment, at least in countries with laws that permit it, like Bulgaria; the state of Georgia may need to change a few laws first. Then we can sell solar power to other states instead of importing coal and uranium.

How about solar on the site of the formerly planned Ben Hill County Coal Plant? How about solar at Plant Vogtle?

How about wind off the Georgia coast and solar on your house or business roof?

Or would you rather keep paying Construction Work in Progress (CWIP) for the Plant Vogtle boondoogle?

-jsq