site.btaBulgaria and Romania Discuss Expansion of Cooperation in Energy

Sofia, September 5 (BTA) - Energy Ministers Temenouzhka Petkova of Bulgaria and Toma-Florin Petcu of Romania have agreed that their countries' electricity system operators should consider signing an accord on mutual assistance in emergency situations, the Bulgarian Energy Ministry reported on Tuesday.

Earlier in the day, a Bulgaria-Romania working group on energy discussed the Bulgarian (January-June 2018) and Romanian (January-June 2019) presidencies of the Council of the European Union and bilateral cooperation in the sectors of electricity and natural gas.

Petkova said: "Our two countries' energy cooperation is very good, both in the domain of natural gas and in the power industry. The security of energy supplies is among the top priorities of the EU and is also a priority in the political programme of the current Bulgarian government."

The two ministers were unanimous that the Bulgaria-Romania natural gas interconnector project is a perfect example that the goals of the European Energy Union are being implemented. Petcu said the Podisor Compressor Station will be completed by the year's end, which will allow the Bulgaria-Romania gas interconnector to function in its entirety.

During Tuesday's working meeting, the sides shared information on the progress in offshore exploration for oil and natural gas in the Black Sea. The Romanians expressed an interest in supplying Romanian gas from the Black Sea to Bulgaria.

The two sides welcomed the possibility of merging their electricity markets.

In connection with the toughening of the EU requirements for large combustion plants, Petkova updated the Romanian Energy Minister on the process of applying for derogation from the new rules. Bulgaria and Romania will take a joint stance before the European Commission as they both want their coal-fired power plants to stay operational.