The news on the expression of interest from Rosatom, CNNC and the South Korean Hydro Nuclear Company to act as strategic investors in The Belene NPP comes as no surprise. The three companies could have filed a similar non-binding EoI a year ago without risking much, if anything. The other ‘contenders’ serve more a PR purpose, as they deal with the supply of equipment and the purchase of electricity which are irrelevant at this stage. The supplies and the subcontracting parts are sequential to the selection of the strategic investor(s). So are the long-term PPAs that should be executed at a much later stage. Mixing different items into one tender does not make much professional sense. However it is good to make headlines – a proof that there is interest in the Belene NPP. Let’s try to dissect the news and separate the essentials. Why the promoters believe the outcome will be different this time? Why the fourth attempt will succeed where the previous three trials have ended in failu...