A report on the development of the Bulgarian electric power system until 2020 says that the period between 2007 and 2011 will be critical as power generating facilities at four thermal power plants will go out of operation. The resulting risk can be avoided by rehabilitating other operational facilities and building new ones.

The report was unveiled on Friday, June 2nd, by National Electric Company (NEK) at an international forum on nuclear energy and the environment. According to this report the rehabilitation of the Maritza East II Thermal Power Plant should begin in 2008, and rehabilitation of the TPPs at Rousse and Varna should start in 2009. If the Bulgarian power industry fulfils its rehabilitation and construction programme, it will secure a good position on the regional market.

Maritza Iztok - German utility RWE expressed interest in building a 600 MW coal-fired power plant on the site of the thermal power plant (TPP) Maritza Iztok in central Bulgaria. Two weeks ago the company sent an official request to the Ministry of Economy and Energy about the project. On the site of TPP Maritza Iztok there are currently eight operational units with a combined capacity of 1,460 MW and with the new unit it will be boosted to 1,700 MW. Five years ago RWE set up a joint venture with mines Maritza Iztok and announced it would invest in the mines’ upgrade.

Italy’s Enel eyes building a 600 MW unit there, as well. The local subsidiary of the Italian energy company Enel is planning a EUR 800-900mn investment in building two power generation units at the local coal-fired thermal complex Maritsa East 3. The new power capacities are projected at a total of 700-800 MW. The management of Enel says that the Bulgarian state-owned National Electricity Company will be offered an option to join the new project as co-investor. Enel is currently running a EUR 700mn project for modernisation and upgrade of the existing 4 power units in Maritsa East 3. The Italians hold 73% of the local entity set up for the project while the National Electricity Company owns the remaining 27%. Enel has invested EUR 340mn by far for completing the modernisation of the first unit and 30% of the work on the second unit. The whole modernisation project is expected to end up in January 2009 while the timing of the new investment plan is not presented yet. Enel is also interested in joining the investment scheme for the nuclear project in Belene and the forthcoming privatisation of the electricity production unit of the district heating plant in Ruse.