Bulgaria’s Energy System Is Insufficiently Prepared for Alternative Supply - Expert

Valentin Terziyski, Deputy Chair of the chamber of energy workers at the Bulgarian Industrial Association (BIA), photo by BGNES

Valentin Terziyski, Deputy Chair of the chamber of energy workers at the Bulgarian Industrial Association (BIA), has drawn attention to the fact that the energy system is not fully prepared for alternative supply.

Terziyski commented on the likelihood of a gas crisis in a Wednesday interview for the Bulgarian National Radio.

“Back in mid-September two big German energy companies announced that there had been a decrease in gas quantities supplied to Europe by Russia. At the end of last month, restrictions on re-export of natural gas became necessary in Romania. As of last week, Turkey, Greece and Bulgaria appear to be in a similar situation, “Terziyski stated, arguing that gas supply restrictions had been a political move rather than measures necessitated by technological reasons.

“In any case, Bulgaria will be negatively affected. Our system is not fully prepared for alternative supplies. Regarding alternative fuels, I would also suggest that the situation is not very good.Taking into account what has been happening over the past few months and the likelihood of more stringent measures on the part of Russia, the outlook is not good. The financial deficit is a big problem for all companies in the energy system, especially at state-owned gas supplier Bulgargaz,” he declared, adding that restrictions to gas supplies to the companies could become necessary due to the decrease in gas supplies received by the country and the huge financial deficit in the energy system.

Bulgaria’s caretaker Prime Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva argued Tuesday that Bulgaria was already experiencing problems with gas supplies from Russia due to a decrease in the pressure in the pipeline which carried supplies to the country via Ukraine.

She said that the government could ask the European Commission for an extension of the permit of the Varna thermal power plant in order to secure reserves in the case of a gas supply crisis in winter.

Zaharieva reminded that the European Commission had recommended boosting efforts on completing the gas grid interconnections with Bulgaria’s neighboring countries.

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