Economy and energy minister Petar Dimitrov said during a press conference that construction works on the country’s second nuclear plant would start in the second half of this year. The project for building and commissioning of the plant in Belene is valued at EUR 4bn and the figure is not expected to change upon the signing of the final contract with Russia ’s AtomStroyExport, which will supply and install two power reactors of the plant with total production capacity of 2,000MW. The final contract is expected to be signed on Friday during the visit of Russia ’s president Vladimir Putin in the country. A strategic investor and a lead structuring and arranging bank would be appointed by the middle of this year. The five shortlisted candidates for acquiring 49% of the power producer (Czech electricity company CEZ, Germany’s E.ON and RWE, Belgium’s Electrabel, and Italy’s Enel) submitted improved offers earlier in the month. The first recator is expected to start operations in early 2014 and the second one in 2015.