Cabinet has reportedly offered to Russia to acquire a stake in the project for construction of a 2,000 MW nuclear plant in the Danube town of Belene , according to information in the Russian press. Russia ’s energy minister Sergey Shmatko confirmed that Russia is willing to consider an interest in the project in case Bulgarian government decides to reduce its stake, currently standing at 51%. Germany ’s RWE controls the remaining 49%. In February last year, Russia ’s AtomStroyExport signed EUR 4bn contract to build the plant. Genadiy Tepkyan, vice president of AtomStroyExport, claims that construction and launching of the two units of the nuclear plant will cost up to EUR 6bn in the most pessimistic scenario while Bulgarian economy and energy minister Traicho Traikov insists that the value of the project may reach EUR 8-10bn. At present, the government is reviewing the project and may also decide to freeze it but is considering also options to reduce its stake in the project. According to the initial plan the first unit of 1,000MW should become operational by the end of 2014 while the second one will be connected one year later. The delay of construction works stands at 15 months at present and AtomStroyExport estimates potential losses in the tune of EUR 300mn in terms of conservation of the construction site and revoking of equipment orders if the delay reaches 2 years. Sergey Shmatko arrives in Bulgaria today to discuss joint energy projects with Russia – Belene nuclear plant, gas project South Stream and oil pipeline project Burgas-Alexandroupolis.