Bulgaria will shut down two of the four functioning reactors at Kozloduy nuclear power plant late Sunday, as part of the Balkan nation's commitments to join the European Union (EU), Sofia News Agency reported.

The report said that the third and fourth 440 megawatt reactors will be closed before 22:30 local time (2130 GMT), hours ahead of the country's scheduled accession to the EU on Jan. 1 2007.

The two reactors could remain working for five or more years, but the EU demanded the country close them as a condition to join the block, the reports added.

The shut-down of the two reactors will not influence the supply of electricity in the country, Lyubomir Velkov, CEO of Bulgaria's National Electricity Company said.

The Kozloduy plant, alongside the Danube river, is the biggest nuclear plant in the Balkans and exports electricity to Bulgaria's neighbors, including Greece, Serbia and Turkey.

Bulgaria has already shut down No. 1 and No. 2 reactors. No. 5 and No.6 1,000 megawatt reactors will continue to operate.

Source: Xinhua