The regular Monitoring Mission* of representatives of the European Commission, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the Ministry of Energy was held in the period 16-19 March 2026. The visit aims to monitor in-situ the progress of activities under the Kozloduy Programme for the Decommissioning of Units 1-4 of Kozloduy NPP, which is under implementation by State Enterprise Radioactive Waste.

The Mission was led by Jan Panek, Director DIR D “Nuclear Energy, Safety and ITER”, DG “Energy” of the European Commission”, and by the Deputy Minister of Energy Krasimir Nenov, in his capacity as Programme Coordinator for the Republic of Bulgaria under the Decommissioning Programme.

During the four-day monitoring of the current implementation of the Programme, the participants got acquainted with the progress of activities in the Controlled Area of Specialized Division Decommissioning – Units 1-4. They visited key SERAW facilities, including the Turbine Hall, the plasma melting facility and the National Disposal Facility for Radioactive Waste at Radiana site.

During their visit, the international and Bulgarian institutions involved in the Programme held in-depth discussions with SERAW’s management and experts. The talks focused both on the current implementation of the Programme and on identifying future projects in support of the safe and efficient decommissioning of the nuclear facilities.

The constructive dialogue and partnership with the European institutions reaffirm SERAW’s commitment to the transparent and responsible management of the decommissioning processes on par with the highest nuclear safety standards.

*In accordance with the Council Regulation of the European Union on the provision of grant funds to Bulgaria in the process of decommissioning of nuclear facilities* and the applicable procedures, the implementation of activities which are financed by the Kozloduy International Decommissioning Support Fund (KIDSF), shall be subject to regular monitoring. In accordance with the current rules, the Decommissioning Programme progress shall be monitored every six months in several successive steps. SERAW drafts a Monitoring Report presenting the implementation of the planned activities for the respective period, which is reviewed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and submitted to the Directorate-General for Energy (ENER) of the European Commission (EC). This is followed by on-the-spot visit to the Kozloduy site by representatives of the European Commission in order to directly monitor the implementation of the activities specified in the document. The procedure ends with a final meeting of the Committee at which the results of the monitoring are summarised and the Monitoring Report is accordingly adopted.

* COUNCIL REGULATION (Euratom) 2021/100

For the seventeenth consecutive year, SERAW brought together producers, artisans and visitors at the Honey Festival in Kozloduy. The two-day event, held on 27–28 February 2026 at the enterprise’s Information Centre, recorded a record number of participants. A total of 48 producers of honey and bee products from the region and neighbouring areas with traditions in beekeeping, along with representatives of Bulgarian crafts and applied arts, took part in the exhibition and tasting events. Among them were eight debut participants, presenting their products to festival visitors for the first time.

This year’s edition also brought an important recognition: the Honey Festival was officially presented as SE RAW’s Knowledge Product* for 2025, published on the website of the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission. This marks another step in systematising and sharing the enterprise’s unique experience with other EU Member States in the field of safe decommissioning and radioactive waste management.

Elisaveta Mladenova, Deputy Executive Director for Finance, Administration and Security at SERAW, explained the symbolism of the event:

“The event is called the Honey Festival because it celebrates both the joy of the results achieved through the participants’ work, perseverance and creativity, and the connection between people and nature.”

This connection lies at the heart of the long-standing initiative: bees are a living indicator of a clean environment, while the honey produced in the Kozloduy region stands as a powerful testament that technology and nature can coexist in harmony.

The festival’s accompanying programme featured a series of meetings and presentations that attracted both professionals and curious visitors. Borislav Bumov from Lovech, holder of the title Beekeeper of the Year – 2024, shared insights into the intricacies of queen bee production. Anna Ivanova from Tryavna immersed the audience in the topic of the “secret ingredient” behind both products and life itself, while Manuela Nikolova from Troyan spoke about the home as the foundation of a healthy lifestyle and the role of natural materials in construction.

On both days of the festival, the youngest visitors had the opportunity to participate in creative workshops. Manuela Nikolova challenged them to weave their own Martenitsa bracelets, while Stanimir Nikolov demonstrated the magic of woodturning on a training wood lathe. A special interactive game for all visitors, titled “Like the Little Bees”, also became an entertaining challenge for many of the guests.

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*About the Knowledge Product

In accordance with Council Regulation (Euratom) 2021/100 of 25 January 2021, SE RAW, in cooperation with the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission, systematises its unique experience in specific areas of its activities and presents it in the form of a Knowledge Product.

The overall objective of the Kozloduy Programme is to support Bulgaria in addressing safety-related challenges associated with the decommissioning of Units 1–4 of Kozloduy NPP, while also increasing the added value for the European Union through the dissemination of knowledge for the benefit of all Member States.

Over the two days – Friday and Saturday – visitors will be able to enjoy:

•    Exhibition and tasting of polyfloral honey and bee products

•    Medicinal and cosmetic products based on bee ingredients, crafted with care and attention

•    Collections of artistic items inspired by traditional Bulgarian crafts

Special highlight of the Saturday accompanying programme – meetings, presentations and inspiration.

On 28 February, a rich programme awaits curious minds of all ages:

•    11:00 – “Queen Bee Production” with Borislav Bumov from Lovech, winner of the “Beekeeper of the Year – 2024” title

•    13:00 – “The Secret Spice of Products and … of Life” with Anna Ivanova from Tryavna

•    14:00 – “The Home as the Foundation of a Healthy Life – Natural Materials in Construction” with Manuela Nikolova from Troyan

•    15:00 – “SE RAW – National Operator for Radioactive Waste Management” – presentation on the mission and activities of the enterprise

Creativity and games for the youngest guests

On both days of the festival, children will be able to take part in creative workshops:

•    “Let’s Weave a Martenitsa” – with Manuela Nikolova

•    “The Magic of Woodturning” – training sessions on a practice wood lathe with Stanimir Nikolov from Kozloduy

A special game with a grand prize has also been prepared for all visitors – “Like the Little Bees”!

Date:

27 February (Friday) – 11:30 – 18:00

28 February (Saturday) – 9:00 – 16:00

Venue:

SE RAW Information Centre

2A V. Vodenicharski St.

Join us to share the sweet taste of traditions, dedicated work, and pure nature.

The Honey Festival is organized by SE RAW with the support of the beekeeping associations from the Kozloduy region, bringing together craftsmen, beekeepers, artists, and everyone who values nature and its gifts.

Because we all know:

Bees are a natural indicator of a clean environment.

The Nuclear Regulatory Agency has issued to the State Enterprise “Radioactive Waste” the first electronic licence for decommissioning in the country. The document has been in force since 1 January 2026 for a period of five years and defines the safety requirements for the decommissioning of the Permanent Radioactive Waste Repository near the village of Novi Han, Elin Pelin Municipality.

The repository is intended for the temporary storage of low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste generated in the country from industry, medicine, agriculture, and research (institutional radioactive waste). The facility has been in operation since 1964 as part of the Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, and since 2006 it has been under the structure of the State Enterprise “Radioactive Waste.” As of early January 2026, in accordance with the “Strategy for Spent Nuclear Fuel and Radioactive Waste up to 2030,” the nuclear facility transitioned from the operational phase to the decommissioning phase.

The decommissioning activities of the facility, in accordance with the conditions of the issued licence, include decontamination and dismantling of structures, systems, and components, as well as management of materials and radioactive waste resulting from the decommissioning processes.

The decommissioning activities are carried out in full compliance with the Act on the Safe Use of Nuclear Energy and the applicable regulatory framework. SERAW prioritizes radiation protection of personnel and the public, as well as environmental protection, in line with established principles and standards.

On 12 and 13 January 2026, following an expressed interest by the Authority for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection (ANVS) of the Netherlands in the Plasma Melting Facility, State Enterprise Radioactive Waste (SERAW) hosted a visit by a team of five experts from the Dutch regulatory authority.
On the first day of the two-day visit, the Deputy Executive Director for Radioactive Waste Management, Georgi Razlozhki, and the Head of Plasma Melting Section, Iliyan Dimitrov, familiarized the specialists in detail with the technical features of the facility for treatment and conditioning of radioactive waste.
During the second day, the delegation visited the facility on site. Following a scheduled maintenance, the facility is now being made ready to start its ninth operational campaign. Since the first operational campaign, which began at the end of 2018, more than 6,300 cubic metres of radioactive waste have been treated. Over the most recent campaign, a total of 1,375 cubic metres of radioactive waste was treated, representing a record volume to date.
“Your assistance is extremely valuable to us. For us, this was a highly beneficial visit. We are impressed with the organisation, the comprehensive information provided by you, and your readiness to share your experience with us. We learned a great deal.”, so commented the participants in the visit.

The construction of a radioactive waste treatment and conditioning facility capable of achieving a high-volume reduction factor is among the most significant projects implemented through the support of the Kozloduy International Decommissioning Support Fund (KIDSF). The Plasma Melting Facility represents a unique technology, and through its capabilities of feeding various combinations of radioactive waste, it achieves a very high volume reduction factor that is difficult to achieve with other technologies. This ensures full compliance with all radioactive waste management principles, in particular, the disposal of minimal quantities and the avoidance of burdening the generations to come with the care of radioactive waste generated today.
The project was implemented by an international consortium. The facility was constructed to support the safe decommissioning of Units 1 to 4 of the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant, a responsibility entrusted to State Enterprise Radioactive Waste. In addition to waste from the units under decommissioning, the facility also treats radioactive waste generated from the operation of Units 5 and 6 of the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant.