site.btaEU to Finance Constriction of 140 Km Power Line in Bulgaria

EU to Finance Constriction of 140 Km Power Line in Bulgaria

Sofia, August 10 (BTA) - The European Commission announced Wednesday that it has allocated 29.9 million euro to the construction of a new 140 km electricity line between Dobrudja in northeastern Bulgaria and Burgas on the southern Black Sea coast. "The Commission considers energy infrastructure projects
in Bulgaria and its neighbouring member states a priority for the Energy Union," the Commission said.

The project includes all actions related to the research, pre-investment, construction and commissioning activities for the implementation of the project for a 400 kV power line with a total length of 110 km and capacity of 1,500 MW.

The future power line will transmit wind and photovoltaic energy and this integrate renewables in the electricity market. It will also enhance the capacity of the Bulgarian electricity grid and strengthen its resilience.

The power line has been designated a "project of common interest" and belongs to the so-called Black Sea Corridor project cluster: three electricity lines which will reinforce the electricity transmission corridor along the Romanian and Bulgarian coast, as well as between the rest of Europe and Turkey.

The EU support in Bulgaria will contribute to reinforce security of electricity supply, integrate renewable energy in the electricity market, and to increase future power exchanges, in view of the expected wind power from Greece and photovoltaic energy from South Bulgaria.

Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Miguel Arias Canete is quoted as saying that the new Bulgarian power line will increase the power exchanges in the area and will allow the transmission of a new wave of clean energy from South-Eastern Europe. "This in line with the Energy Union strategy, which aims
 at securing and integrating energy markets while ensuring sustainable energy for citizens and enterprises".

The EU support for the Bulgarian project will cover half of the total cost.

The new electricity line will be constructed by the Bulgarian Transmission System Operator and it is expected to be operational by 2022.

The Commission statement said that it values energy infrastructure projects in Bulgaria and its neighbours as an important priority of the Energy Union.

Commissioning of the 400kV line will guarantee the security of cross-border electricity exchanges between Bulgaria and Romania, says the economic rationale for the project. It will contribute to the accommodation of highly concentrated RES generation in Northeast Bulgaria and Southeast Romania, thus providing conditions to achieve the long run European and National renewable and climate targets beyond 2020.

The power line has been designated a project of common interest and is part of the project of the Black Sea corridor of three power lines which will increase the capacity for transmission of electricity along the Romanian and Bulgarian Black Sea coast and on to the rest of Europe and Turkey. The support of the EU
for Bulgaria will help enhance the reliability of power supply, integrate the market of RES power production capacities, improve potential for future trade in electricity in a view of the expected increase in production of electricity from wind in Greece and sun in southern Bulgaria.

The European Commission financing for the power line project covers half of the necessary funding.

The project will be build by the Bulgarian Electricity System Operator and is expected to be commissioned before 2022.