Kovachky power plants remained without permits for air pollution Free allowances for greenhouse gases will get 10 out of 11 thermal power plants in the country, because they have fulfilled their investment programs, according to a report of the energy ministry, sent to the European Commission . In early December 2013 Brussels allowed Bulgaria to allocate free allowances of total market value of 945 million euro, Trud daily said. The condition was companies to invest in environment-friendly production and reduce carbon emissions. So the National Plan includes 27 companies, of which one is state-owned - TPP "Maritsa Iztok 2". The plant also has managed to overachieve its investment program and receive quotas. Free emissions will not be received by the enterprises TPP "Brickell", "Maritsa 3" TPP and "Bobov Dol" TPP connected to businessman Hristo Kovachky. Private TPP "Varna" owned by CEZ renounced quotas itself because can not assimilate them, as currently there is implemented a process of units’ ecologization. Power plants of Kovachky currentlyare selling electricity to the National Elecricity Company (NEK) at high prices , which further raises the price mix that of public provider . A few years ago even TPP "Brickell" is expected to cease work due to lack of desulphurization facilities. Currently there is such a facility , but its effectiveness remains unclear. The power plant currently operates on the basis of its permit based on the old European Directive on emissions. Experts say it is impossible TPP "Brickell" to meet the new requirements for ecology hat Europe intends to impose.In "Bobov Dol" TPP the situation is similar as the plant is currently working with one of its units. Every month from now TPP pays fine of 30,000 BGN for excessive air pollution. The TPP management said that unit 3 will work until the end of 2014 regardless of the monthly fines and violations. If we are not profitable , we will stop it, said Vladimir Vladimirov, a member of the company management. He explained that the company has already started construction of desulphurization facilities. After construction of these facilities it is expected to be seen whether they will get the approval of environment and energy. According to the plan last block of TPP "Bobov dol" has to be closed in 2015. Meanwhile it became clear that railways "Freight" stopped the supply of coal to thermal power plants Christo Kovachky. The reason for this measure are 15 million BGN liabilities to the state company, of which over 9 million BGN are overdue, informs Standard daily.
Source: Capital (25.02.2014)

Bulgaria’s nuke plant posts 38 mln euro profit in Q1 Bulgaria's sole nuclear power plant (NPP) Kozloduy generated a profit of BGN 74 million in the first quarter of 2014, up from expected BGN 67 million, Kozloduy’s CEO said on Monday. The NPP’s lost profit estimated at 8.0 million levs as a result of the limits on electricity generation imposed by state-run Electricity System Operator (ESO), Ivan Genov said in an interview for public radio broadcaster BNR without specifying the period in question. Kozloduy’s losses related to the trade on the regular market, where the electricity price is determined by the the State Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (SEWRC) and is less than the cost of production, are compensated from the sale of electricity on the free market. The NPP generates some 60% of its revenue on the free market, where it sells 45% of its total production. Kozloduy closed 2013 at a profit of BGN 40 million, Genov said in the interview. Kozloduy generates 35% of the overall electricity produced in Bulgaria. The Kozloduy NPP remained with two operational reactors of 1,000 megawatts (MW) each after the country closed down four units of 440 MW each to address nuclear safety concerns of the European Union prior to its accession to the bloc. Bulgaria joined the EU in 2007. In April 2012 the government decided to add another 1,000 MW unit to the plant.
Source: investor.bg (25.03.2014)

Bulgarian Energy Watchdog Seeks Lower Power Prices from US-Owned TPPs Bulgaria's energy watchdog has sought changes to the contracts with US-owned thermal power plants AES-3C Maritza East 1 EOOD and Contur Global Maritsa Iztok-3. Bulgaria's State Commission for Energy and Water Regulation (DKEVR) seeks changes to the long-term contracts signed in 2001 between the National Electric Company (NEK) and the thermal power plants AES-3C Maritza East 1 EOOD and Contur Global Maritsa Iztok-3, according to reports of the Bulgarian National Radio (BNR). The proposed amendments envisage substantial changes to the price of electricity purchased from the two TPPs as well as free market sales. Under the new agreement, the full cost of energy bought from AES-3C Maritza East 1 is to drop by 30% and the electricity produced by one unit of the TPP is to be sold on the free market. Apart from that, the full cost of electricity purchased from Contur Global Maritsa Iztok-3 is to be reduced by 20% and the electricity produced by two units of the TPP is to be sold on the free market. The decrease in the cost of electricity purchased by the two TPPs is to reduce the expenses of the National Electric Company (NEK) by BGN 424 M in the next pricing period and the positive impact of the measure for the entire period of the long-term contracts is estimated at BGN 5.4 B. DKEVR also proposes that the Finance Minister inform the European Commission about the need to revise the terms of the existing agreements as they have been found to be incompatible with EU requirements for competitive market conditions, placing the two TPPs in a more advantageous position. According to DKEVR, the problem has been recognized by EU institutions and the conclusions of their probe define such contracts as unauthorized state aid. DKEVR also proposes legal changes which would enable it to determine the quantities of renewable energy purchased by NEK at preferential prices on an annual basis based on consumption statistics.
Source: Darik Radio (30.05.2014)