The share of HPPs in the energy balance of the country for the period from the beginning of the year to February 27 decreased by 31.83%
Compared to the same period in 2021, the share of base plants increased by 32.65 percent
Marinela Arabadjieva
Electricity production and consumption continue to rise. The balance (exports-imports) remains high in percentage terms, but compared to previous reporting periods there is a decline. Although the base plants hold a high positive share, there is also a change in the downward direction. However, the data on the participation of renewable energy sources (RES) in the transmission network are better, while in the distribution network there is almost no change. The share of hydropower plants (HPPs) still remains in the red. This is clear from the operational report on the energy balance of Bulgaria for the period from January 1 to February 27 (1.01.2022 - 27.02.2022) this year compared to the same period in 2021.
Electricity production from the first day of January to the twenty-seventh day of the current 2022 will increase to a volume of 9,546,537 MWh. This represents an increase of 22.69% compared to the same period of the previous 2021 (plus 22.36% reported a week ago for the compared period to February 20). A year earlier at the same time, electricity production amounted to 7,780,749 MWh.
Electricity consumption for the comparable period from January 1 to February 27 increased to 7,404,158 MWh - an increase of 2.87% (plus 2.57% reported in the previous week). One year ago, for the mentioned period the electricity consumption was of the order of 7,197,845 MWh.
The balance (exports-imports) maintains its high share in percentage terms, but there is a change in the indicators in the direction of decline. For example, for the compared period from the first day of this year to the twenty-seventh day of February, the balance (exports-imports) increased by 267.54% - to a volume of 2,142,379 MWh (plus 273.40% a week ago, plus 265.32% two weeks ago ). For comparison, during the same period, a year earlier the balance (exports-imports) was of the order of 582,904 MWh.
The share of base plants, according to the system operator, remains high and increases to a volume of 8,219,450 MWh, which is an increase of 32.65 percent (+33.23% a week ago). For the same reporting period last year, the base plants participated with a volume of 6,196,173 MWh.
The participation of RES in the transmission and distribution networks remains positive.
The share of RES in the transmission network for the period from the first day of January to the twenty-seventh day of February increased by 14.30% to a volume of 248,878 MWh (plus 12.11% a week earlier). A year earlier, renewables participated in the transmission network with a volume of about 217,733 MWh. In particular, these data are due to both the positive share of wind (plus 10.3%) and photovoltaic (plus 36.68%) power plants and biomass (plus 2.07%).
The share of RES in the distribution network for the compared period from the beginning of this year to February 27 reached 338,990 MWh, which is an increase of 20.04% (+ 20.32% a week earlier). During the same period last year, RES participated in the distribution network with a volume of 282,390 MWh. These indicators are due in particular to the better participation of wind (plus 24.82%) and photovoltaic (plus 24.09%) plants and despite the sharp decline in biomass (minus 21.65%).
Hydropower plants remain in the red. Thus, for the period from January 1 to February 27 this year, their share decreased (minus) by 31.83% to a volume of 739,219 MWh (-36.24% a week earlier). For comparison, in the same period of the previous 2021 RES participated with a volume of 1 084 453 MWh.