Belene

Belene (Bulgarian: Белене) is a town in northern Bulgaria. It is located in Pleven Province and is close to Svishtov. Belene is situated on the right bank of the Danube. It was proclaimed a town in 1964, which is celebrated every year in the first week of September with a market and cultural events. It is best known for the prison on Belene Island and as the proposed site of Bulgaria's second nuclear power plant, which has been under construction 7 km east of the town until it was interrupted in 1990 due to pressure from environmentalists. There are plans to start construction again as a replacement for reactors 3 and 4 at Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant, which Bulgaria has to shut down as a condition for EU membership.