Photo: 360 Energy
Maglizh solar park in central Bulgaria has begun commercial operation, according to 360 Energy, which has built it in partnership with the majority shareholders of Eurohold (Evrohold). The facility has 160.5 MW in peak capacity. A project to add batteries is underway.
Bulgaria’s photovoltaic capacity is growing rapidly while the battery storage segment and other energy storage solutions are picking up speed. One of the biggest solar power plants, Maglizh, has just entered regular operation, 360 Energy said.
The company built the facility in parthership with the majority shareholders of Eurohold (Evrohold). Their project firm is called Belozem Solar Park 2. The project has overcome complex issues from permitting to environmental protection.
Maglizh spans 127 hectares at the foot of Mt. Stara planina in central Bulgaria. It has 160.5 MW in peak capacity.
The partners have built the grid connection facilities and handed them over to ESO
The facility cost EUR 100 million to build, according to earlier updates, of which the grid segment amounted to more than EUR 10 million. The connection facilities belong to Electricity System Operator (ESO), the country’s transmission system operator.
Bulgarian-German company Sunotec was the main contractor, under a turnkey deal. It also manufactured the metal structures for the solar panels.
Green Solar Energy was responsible for two overhead power lines and the reconstruction of another one and a substation. The companies partly covered the investment with a syndicated loan. They obtained it from UniCredit Bulbank Raiffeisen Bank International and United Bulgarian Bank Postbank (Eurobank Bulgaria).
Colocated BESS system to be completed in March
The PV plant in the municipality of Maglizh is on municipal land grade 9 and 10, the lowest levels on the agricultural scale. The project firm obtained the rights for 30 years and paid a one-off fee.
Eurohold’s subsidiary Electrohold is responsible for the sale of electricity, according to 360 Energy.
The solar park consists of Jinko Solar’s panels. The company revealed it would soon be complemented by a battery energy storage system (BESS). It expects to complete it in March.
ESCO Bulgaria is the contractor for the BESS of 80 MWh, made of Huawei batteries, the statement adds.
Biodiversity preservation efforts
After already passing environmental procedures, the investors detected a habitat of the protected European ground squirrel (Spermophilus citellus), also called European souslik. They introduced special measures including the exemption of an area of more than five hectares.
In 2023, the same partnership has commissioned Verila, Bulgaria’s biggest solar power plant at the time. The project firm is called Belozem Solar Park 3.
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