Informing the population in case of nuclear or radiological emergency

A National Early Warning and Notification System is established on the territory of Republic of Bulgaria with the main purpose to notify the population countrywide of disasters and emergencies occurred, including of nuclear or radiological emergency. The System is maintained by Ministry of Interior’s General Directorate “Fire Safety and Civil Protection” (GDFSCP).

The National Plan for Disaster Protection defines the arrangements for notifying and periodically informing the population throughout the whole period from the moment of emergency’s occurrence to when its consequences are fully liquidated.Immediately after an emergency occurs in Kozloduy NPP with possible consequences beyond the site’s borders, the Chief Plant Supervisor notifies the population within the 30 kilometers zone around Kozloduy NPP through the established automatic notification system. Notification is also sent to duty officers of competent authorities (Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Energy, Bulgarian Nuclear Regulatory Agency) and the duty officers of Vratza, Montana, Kozloduy and Mizya municipalities.

The rest of the population is notified by GDFSCP through the National Early Warning and Notification System.In case of emergency with radioactive sources or in case of transboundary transmission of radioactive substances, the population is notified by GDFSCP and its regional structures through the National Early Warning and Notification System.

The instructions towards the population regarding implementation of protective actions, ordered by the National Headquarters, are distributed through the National Early Warning and Notification System, the Bulgarian National Television and the Bulgarian National Radio.Informing the population about emergency’s evolvement, possible consequences, protective actions undertaken, as well as other information, is carried out through the mass media. The information is provided by the National Headquarters’ interinstitutional information group.