CONFIDENTIAL
3.
Ever since the accident at Chernobyl in 1986 there has been concern about the safety of nuclear reactors in Eastern Europe and the USSR. However, the IAEA has recently discovered that a large nuclear power station in Bulgaria presents particular hazards: significant improvements are needed to reduce the risk of a major accident. The IAEA held a meeting on 9 July to decide on a response to the problem. The Germans pressed unsuccessfully for the closure of the power station; this would have caused major difficulties for Bulgaria, which relies on it for 25% of its electricity, already in short supply. Instead, the Commission agreed to coordinate the response, which would be largely funded by the EC,S PHARE Programme. a first step further studies are to be undertaken which will indicate what needs to be done in such areas as installing a proper management structure, training operators, and catching up with neglected maintenance work.
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CONFIDENTIAL