Greece and Bulgaria are engaged in preliminary talks exploring the possibility of a long-term agreement that would secure fixed amounts of electricity imports to Greece from a prospective nuclear power station in the neighboring country, the Bulgarian government’s deputy prime minister and finance minister Asen Vasilev has told local TV station Nova.

Greek government sources confirmed the news in comments to energypress, noting that talks aiming for such as an agreement have begun.

This would help bolster Greece’s energy security, given the wider insecurity created by Russian’s invasion of Ukraine. Greece would be supplied the majority of electricity produced by the prospective Bulgarian nuclear plant, it is understood.

Bulgaria’s nuclear power company would establish long-term supply agreements with one or more Greek electricity suppliers, sources said.

Early last week, a delegation of Bulgarian ministers visited Athens for a series of meetings, including with Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, energy-sector collaboration between the two countries being high on the agenda.