The Electricity System Operator (ESO) of Bulgaria received requests from 22 investors since the beginning of the year for connecting renewable energy plants under development to the grid. Their combined capacity is 1.97 GW.

Huge interest in the construction of large power plants using renewable sources was registered since the end of last year in Bulgaria. Capital.bg reported, citing data provided by the Electricity System Operator or ESO, that 22 investors applied for approval for grid connection for power plants with a planned capacity of 1.97 GW in total.

In comparison, the national transmission system operator (TSO) received 14 requests for an overall 480 MW in the same period of 2020. The news outlet adds there is currently 2 GW in operating renewable power plants in the country excluding hydropower.

New law helps investment in renewables

Bulgaria recently amended its Energy Act, boosting support for new renewables. Projects put into operation after January 1 are exempted from paying 5% of revenue to the Electricity System Security Fund. The rule doesn’t apply for rooftop solar power installations as they are entitled to preferential prices.

ESO didn’t make its available network capacity public, so investors may develop projects in wrong places

So far in 2021, ESO issued opinions on the possibility of connecting seven renewable power plants to the grid. Total planned capacity is 364 MW. It also signed preliminary contracts with four investors for 190 MW in new green energy facilities, according to the article.

Solar power plant of 3.2 MW comes online

Eleven rooftop solar power systems of 30 kW each were connected to the grid since January 1, together with Trakiya MT’s 3.2 MW solar power plant in Malko Tarnovo near the border with Turkey.

The report highlights the fact that ESO didn’t make its available network capacity public, which means investors may get a negative opinion even after they purchase land for renewable energy plants and obtain various permits.