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Russia considers mining uranium in Bulgaria

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MOSCOW, November 8 (RIA Novosti) - Russia is considering mining uranium in Bulgaria after its nuclear services exporter won a tender to build a power plant outside Sofia, a senior nuclear official said Wednesday.

Russia's newly-formed uranium production company will study the issue.

"If the recently established Uranium Mining Company carries out the economic study together with Bulgarian colleagues, and uranium production proves to be economically attractive, the project will be launched," said Pyotr Lavrenyuk, vice president of Russia's nuclear fuel producer and supplier TVEL.

The TVEL company and the state-owned uranium trader Tekhsnabexport (Tenex) merged into the Uranium Mining Company on November 2 to develop uranium deposits inside and outside Russia, and import uranium.

Russia's nuclear power equipment and service export monopoly, Atomstroiexport, won a tender on October 30 to build two 1,000-megawatt reactors for an NPP in Belene, about 150 miles from Bulgaria's capital, Sofia.

Russia's uranium production accounts for around 8% of the global output. Up to 90% of the profit in Russia's nuclear sector comes from nuclear fuel, power and services exports, according to nuclear chief Sergei Kiriyenko, but the country is seeking to import more nuclear fuel.

The TVEL official said the company already imported uranium from other east European countries, including the Czech Republic.

TVEL's cooperation in uranium production with other countries takes various forms. For example, Ukraine produces uranium independently, sends it to Russia for enrichment, and Russia in turn supplies uranium fuel for 15 nuclear power generating units in Ukraine.

Russia and Kazakhstan established a joint venture in October to enrich uranium near Irkutsk, about 5,000 kilometers (3,100 miles) east of Moscow.

Under the Soviet system, the three countries shared a nuclear power infrastructure under the Ministry of Medium Machine Building, a complex that Russia's nuclear chief wants restored.

Kiriyenko also said in mid-September that nuclear energy must replace natural gas in Russia's energy balance, as the country's reserves of coal and natural gas will be depleted in 50 years.

He also said Russia plans to meet 60-70% of its uranium demand domestically by 2015.

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