ESO and the electricity transmission operators of Greece and Romania discussed future initiatives for the implementation of joint RES projects in SEE

The Executive Director of ESO Angelin Tsachev discussed with his colleagues from the electricity transmission operators of Greece and Romania specific steps to implement the agreed initiatives for the joint development of RES projects in South-Eastern Europe.

In the presence of the European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson and the director of the Directorate General for Energy in the EC Dite Yul Jorgensen, the energy ministers of Bulgaria, Greece and Romania signed a tripartite declaration on a joint initiative for the exploration, development and sustainable use of the offshore wind potential in the Black and Aegean seas and to create a regional cluster for the production of hydrogen from renewable energy sources. The governments, transmission operators and industry of Bulgaria, Greece and Romania will develop tripartite projects for the widespread use of renewable energy and its integration into hydrogen production systems.

A regional cluster for the production of hydrogen from RES will develop joint projects in South-Eastern Europe for the construction of a system for the production of low-emission and renewable hydrogen and for the development of a dedicated hydrogen infrastructure.

The declaration, signed by the energy ministers of Bulgaria, Greece and Romania, also provides for the development of a cross-border infrastructure of charging stations for electric vehicles.

The goal of the joint initiatives between the three countries is to maximize the potential of renewable energy to achieve the climate neutrality goals of the European economy.

ESO and the Greek electricity transmission operator IPTO, within the framework of the high-level meeting on the connectivity of the countries of Central and South-Eastern Europe, announced the signed memorandum of cooperation between the two countries and the use of intersystem connectivity between Bulgaria and Greece for the exchange of data and telecommunication services. ESO is about to sign a document on cooperation in the field of telecommunications services with the Romanian electricity transmission operator Transelectrica.

During the meeting of energy ministers in Greece, the enormous importance of inter-system connectivity to achieve the goals of the green transition was noted. ESO Executive Director Angelin Tsachev and his colleague from the Greek electricity transmission operator IPTO Manos Manusakis marked the official commissioning in the summer of 2023 of the 400 kV Maritsa East - Nea Santa interconnector. The European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson and the energy ministers of Bulgaria and Greece noted the importance of the new interconnection for increasing the transmission capacity on the Bulgarian-Greek border and ensuring competitive conditions for the participants of the common European market.