Toshiba to Help Bulgaria Restart Chaira Power Plant
Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corporation will assist Bulgaria in bringing the Chaira power plant back into operation. This news follows the visit of Bulgarian Energy Minister Vladimir Malinov to Tokyo.
The Chaira pumped-storage hydroelectric power station, located in Rila below the Belmeken dam, is the largest underground power station in southeast Europe. It boasts four reversible pump turbines. However, it has been out of operation since 2022 due to issues with its turbines.
As the manufacturer and supplier of the plant's equipment, and the owner of the technical and manufacturing documentation, Toshiba was the natural choice for the repair work, according to the Bulgarian Energy Ministry.
During Malinov's visit, Hitachi also expressed interest in participating in the development of Bulgaria's power grid. They are prepared to share their expertise in building transformers and small modular reactors.
This year marks 115 years since the first official contacts between Bulgaria and Japan and 85 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.