Environmental authorities have intervened after elevated sulfur dioxide (SO₂) concentrations were recorded in Dimitrovgrad, prompting immediate action linked to the operation of the Maritsa 3 thermal power plant. The alert followed continuous monitoring that showed a steady rise in pollution levels on 26 January. The increase was detected by an automated air quality monitoring station, […]
A large-scale solar power project in northern Bulgaria has entered its implementation phase after environmental regulators approved the early execution of its environmental clearance, a move that has sparked opposition from local community groups. The regional branch of the Ministry of Environment and Water authorized the project’s environmental assessment to take effect immediately, citing its
Bulgaria: Wabi-Sabi solar project advances amid local opposition Read More »
By 2025, Romania and Bulgaria stood out in South-East Europe for one specific reason: they had achieved scale in spot electricity trading that many neighbouring markets could not match. Monthly volumes on both exchanges regularly reached terawatt-hour levels, anchoring price discovery across the eastern Balkans. Yet this success masked a fundamental weakness. Despite impressive turnover,
OPCOM and IBEX: Strong price formation, weak risk absorption Read More »
Bulgaria has confirmed its role as a host country under the European Union’s Financial Mechanism for Renewable Energy, following an invitation from the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Energy to express binding interest for the 2026 funding round. Under the planned scheme, the European Commission will launch a dedicated call to support renewable energy investments located
Bulgaria secures EU renewable energy funding to boost solar and storage in coal regions Read More »
The day-ahead market segment on the Independent Bulgarian Energy Exchange (IBEX) is marking its 10th anniversary, celebrating a decade since the launch of the first organized electricity market in Bulgaria. This segment laid the foundations for transparent, market-based and publicly traceable electricity trading, becoming a cornerstone of the country’s power market architecture. Speaking on the
Bulgaria: IBEX day-ahead market marks 10 years of transparent and growing power trading Read More »
According to data published by Bulgaria’s electricity transmission system operator ESO, electricity production in Bulgaria declined by 2.45% year-on-year in the period from 1 January to 18 January 2026, reaching a total of 2.37 TWh. Over the same period, electricity consumption increased by 4.18%, amounting to 2.52 TWh, resulting in net electricity imports of 156
Bulgaria: Power output falls as consumption rises, boosting imports in early 2026 Read More »
Bulgaria has recorded a sharp increase in revenues from carbon-related taxes over the past several years, driven by both higher tax rates and a broader application of climate levies. According to the latest Eurostat data, state income from carbon dioxide taxes rose from just over €85 million in 2017 to nearly €1.1 billion in 2023,
Bulgaria: Carbon tax revenues surge more than twelvefold since 2017 Read More »
Bulgaria’s energy regulator KEVR has taken another step toward reforming the electricity market by launching a public discussion on proposed changes to the country’s electricity trading framework. The discussion brought together a broad range of stakeholders, including representatives from the country’s three electricity distribution companies, Sofia Municipality, and the Bulgarian Association of Electrical Engineering and
AES Bulgaria reported that its coal-fired thermal power plant, AES Galabovo, generated 2.62 million MWh of electricity in 2024, marking a 35.8% increase compared to the previous year’s 1.93 million MWh. The company stated that TPP Galabovo supplied around 7% of Bulgaria’s electricity consumption last year. In December alone, the power plant produced 256,000 MWh,
Bulgaria: AES Galabovo boosts output by 36%, supplies 7% of electricity in 2024 Read More »
Bulgaria may soon enter the small modular nuclear reactor (SMR) arena following a new partnership between an international nuclear developer and a local energy company. Poland-based Synthos Green Energy has reached a preliminary agreement with Blue Bird Energy to establish a joint venture focused on deploying up to six advanced SMR units in the country.
Bulgaria poised to launch small modular reactors with Synthos and Blue Bird Energy Read More »
