site.btaUS Trade and Development Agency to Sign Agreement with Bulgaria on USD 1.5 Mln Grant for East-West Energy Corridor Study

The United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) will sign an agreement with Bulgaria's Electricity System Operator (ESO) in Sofia on Monday for a USD 1.5 million grant to finance a feasibility study for building an East-West Energy Corridor, the Bulgarian government said in a press release on Sunday.

The ESO-initiated project is aimed to connect the electricity transmission systems of Turkiye, Bulgaria, Greece, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Albania and Montenegro, with an option to bring Italy into the scheme as well.

The expansion of cross-border electricity transmission capacities and the possibility of real-time exchange of energy produced from renewable sources in the region are pivotal for effectively utilizing green energy and achieving the goals of decarbonization and green transformation, the government said.

The deal will be signed by ESO Executive Director Angelin Tsachev and USTDA Director Enoh T. Ebong at the Council of Ministers offices in Sofia in the presence of Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev, Energy Minister Vladimir Malinov and US Ambassador to Bulgaria Kenneth Merten.