(SOFIA) - Bulgaria has asked the European Commission to double compensation funds for its closure of four reactors at the Kozloduy nuclear power plant, Economy and Energy Minister Petar Dimitrov said Sunday.

"Bulgaria is negotiating to double the compensation it receives from the EU for Kozloduy," Dimitrov was quoted as saying by national radio.

Brussels asked Sofia to close down four reactors at the plant, before Bulgaria began talks to join the EU, after its experts concluded the Soviet-built reactors could not be modernised at a reasonable price.

Bulgaria shut down the two oldest reactors in 2002, before closing down two 440-megawatt reactors on December 31, 2006, on the eve of joining the bloc.

This ended the EU newcomer's role as a major electricity exporter in the Balkans, drastically reducing its exports from eight billion kilowatt-hours in 2006 to 300 million kilowatt-hours in 2007.

As compensation, Brussels granted Sofia 550 million euros (865 million dollars) until 2009 to develop alternative energy sources.

Until now, Bulgaria has received 350 million euros, Dimitrov said.

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