Romania and Bulgaria discuss emergency assistance plan for power supply

Romania and Bulgaria have discussed the possibility of assisting each other in power supply in case of crisis similar to the one that occurred last winter due to the harsh weather, Romanian and Bulgarian media reported. Two countries are also considering other projects in the energy sector.

Romanian Energy Minister Toma-Florin Petcu and his Bulgarian counterpart Temenuzhka Petkova discussed earlier this week in Sofia the establishment of a power contingency plan for critical situations.

They agreed that Bulgarian and Romanian electricity operators would discuss a deal on providing emergency assistance.

Last winter, due to the problems caused by harsh weather Bulgaria made a request for the urgent supply of electricity from neighboring Romania. Romania declined it because it was dealing with similar problems and record power consumption.

Petcu and Petkova also discussed the development of new interconnections of Romania and Bulgaria’s power grids.

Romanian minister proposed to resume talks on the construction of a hydropower plant on the Danbue, a joint project that two countries has been considering for several years. The project envisages the construction of a 440-megawatt (МW) power plant on the Danube at the location between towns of Nikopol, on Bulgarian bank, and Turnu Magurele, on Romanian bank of the river.

Romanian media reported that two ministers agreed to continue the dialogue on this subject. Bulgaria and Romania set up joint committee for this project in 2011. The last meeting of the committee was held in 2014.