FACTBOX: Nuclear projects in central and southeast Europe

(Reuters) - A number of countries in central, eastern and southeastern Europe plan to build new nuclear power reactors or extend the life of existing ones to meet growing domestic demand and replace ageing power capacity.

The plans mirror a worldwide nuclear boom as part of the solution to climate change.

Following are key facts on major projects:

ALBANIA

- The country, which suffers chronic power shortages, said in May it wanted to develop nuclear power generation and was ready to invite Italians to build a plant on its soil.

- Italian power utility Enel has said it is looking into nuclear opportunities in Albania.

BULGARIA

- The Balkan country, where nuclear energy supplies about 40 percent of all power, plans a new 2,000 megawatt (MW) nuclear power plant by 2013-14.

- It has contracted Russia's Atomstroyexport, along with France's Areva and Germany's Siemens, to build the plant in a 4.0 billion-euro deal.