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KOZLODUY

Nuclear power plant in Vratsa, Bulgaria. Approximate location 43.7438, 23.7723.

NuclearVratsaBulgariaVVER V-230pressurized water reactor

KOZLODUY is a 2,080 MW nuclear power station in Vratsa, Bulgaria. It is operated by Kozloduy NPP EAD (Bulgarian Energy Holding). Based on reported annual generation of 15,381 GWh, it can supply roughly 4.4 million homes. It ranks #1 of 55 Bulgaria power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1974, it is around 52 years old — an older, legacy facility. As a non-combustion source, it has no direct CO₂ emissions from generation. In context, nuclear supplies about 39.1% of Bulgaria's electricity; the national grid averages 276 gCO₂/kWh (71.9% low-carbon) (2025).

2,080Source-backed capacity
4 yrconstruction time (1970→1974)
15,381GWh reported / yr
4,394,514homes powered
1974commissioned (~52 yrs)

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WRI1008053.

Data status

Known data

FacilityKOZLODUY WRI
CountryBulgaria · Vratsa WRI
Coordinates43.7438, 23.7723 WRI
FuelNuclear WRI
MW installed capacity2,080 MW WRI source record; scope not independently normalised
OwnerKozloduy NPP EAD (Bulgarian Energy Holding) WRI
Commissioned1974 WRI
Technologypressurized water reactor WRI
GWh reported / yr15,381 GWh/yr WRI
Observed long-tail demand9 GSC impressions (centrale nucléaire bulgarie, kozloduy, kozloduy nuclear power plant) Google Search Console

Calculated from dataset

Capacity rank in country#1 of 55 calculated
Fuel-specific rank in country#1 of 2 calculated
Homes-powered equivalent4,394,514 calculated from reported generation
Climate11.6°C · HDD 2,708 derived from coordinates
Environmental severityC2 · 32/100 derived from coordinates

Not available

CO₂ emissionsnot applicable not applicable

Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.

Data provenance

The capacity and/or fuel fields on this page include a source-backed provenance label from GEM, an official registry, Wikidata, OSM, or a cross-source match.

capacity: GEM tracker 2026 operating-unit sum (location L100000500097); fuel: WRI source-record fuel

In context: how this plant compares

Technically it is described as pressurized water reactor. Nuclear plants split uranium to raise steam with no direct CO₂; they run as steady baseload with very high capacity factors and the longest operating lifetimes of any thermal plant.

Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.

Capacity vs largest nuclear plants in Bulgaria

KOZLODUY: 2,080 MW2kKOZLODUYBelene Original nuclear power plant: 2,000 MW2kBelene Ori…

Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).

Owner

Operated by Kozloduy NPP EAD (Bulgarian Energy Holding).

Local climate & thermal context

This nuclear plant uses heat from nuclear fission to raise steam for a turbine-generator. It sits in a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 43.7°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.

11.6°Cannual mean temp
2,708heating degree-days (base 18°C)
388cooling degree-days (base 18°C)
135 melevation

Monthly mean temperature

J: -1 °CJF: 1 °CFM: 6 °CMA: 12 °CAM: 17 °CMJ: 21 °CJJ: 23 °CJA: 22 °CAS: 18 °CSO: 12 °CON: 5 °CND: 1 °CD23 °C

Heating degree-days here run 10% above the median power plant in this dataset — a proxy for how much extra energy heated equipment must replace through its surfaces in winter.

Climate heat-demand index: 55/100 — this site sits in the mid third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.

Climate normals: WorldClim 2.1 (1970–2000 monthly normals, 10 arc-min, CC BY 4.0); zone: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid). Degree-days & heat-demand index computed by PowerAtlas — a modelled heat-demand proxy, not a measured site figure.

Site climate & environmental severity

For a plant’s outdoor hardware — heat-recovery steam generators (HRSG), expansion joints, valves, flanges and their insulation — the local climate sets how fast unprotected steel and coatings degrade. This site sits in a mild atmospheric environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C2 — Low), with humidity / wetness the leading environmental stress.

C2ISO 9223 corrosivity (indicative)
32/100environmental-severity index
23.7°Cseasonal temperature swing
342 kmdistance to coast

Higher environmental severity is exactly where protective removable insulation pays back most: a sheltered micro-climate slows corrosion, UV and thermal-cycling damage and extends outdoor hardware service life. This is an indicative site-climate context — not a condition assessment of any specific plant or operator.

Indicative estimate via the ISO 9223:2012 informative method (atmospheric corrosivity from temperature, time-of-wetness and airborne salinity), using WorldClim climate normals, the Köppen-Geiger class and coast distance. Indicative, not a measured corrosion rate.

How it compares & nearby plants

The #1 largest nuclear power plant of 2 in Bulgaria by capacity.

Bulgaria has 2 nuclear power plants in this dataset, together about 4,080 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

Location

Coordinates 43.7438, 23.7723 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions

What type of power plant is KOZLODUY?

KOZLODUY is a 2,080 MW source-record nuclear power plant in Vratsa, Bulgaria, commissioned in 1974.

How much electricity does KOZLODUY generate?

KOZLODUY generates about 15,381 GWh of electricity per year.

How many homes can KOZLODUY power?

Its output is enough to supply roughly 4,394,514 homes.

Who operates KOZLODUY?

KOZLODUY is operated by Kozloduy NPP EAD (Bulgarian Energy Holding).

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