An energy expert predicts difficult times for the operation of coal plants in our country

The power plants in the "Maritsa East" complex will go bankrupt by 2026, because they are not entitled to state subsidies and no one will buy electricity at BGN 500/mwh, produced from coal. And PSHP "Chaira" will be operational in full capacity after 2 years at the earliest. Although the Japanese company "Toshiba" has to completely build the one block that "is bastisan". Ivan Hinovski, chairman of the Bulgarian Energy and Mining Forum, stated this to BNR.

He also commented on the start of work on the LNG terminal near the Greek city of Alexandroupolis, where Bulgaria has 20% ownership. Despite the 10-year-delayed launch of the terminal, it will greatly change the gas market because "Bulgaria is getting another leg of independence," Hinovski said.

"Until now, imports of gas went through foreign terminals, we already have ownership. Bulgaria's gas independence grows with the share we have in this terminal. This will change the price, because liquid gas in the mixes in Europe and the world begins to receive an increasing share in terms of imports through terminals. Piped gas, which we used to accept as cheap, is moving to the background because of the exclusion of Russia from Europe's gas policy. But it maintains a share through Romania and Austria," he clarified Ivan Hinovski.

He added that about 90% of the raw material passing through the Turkish Stream gas pipeline is Russian gas. And Turkey skillfully manages to mix it and sell it as Turkish blue fuel.

Regarding the actions in the plenary hall of the National Assembly and the non-voting of the money for the "Maritsa East" complex, Hinovski commented: "This was the only rescue mechanism for the miners to remain at work until 2038."

"At the moment, our energy system is in a difficult situation and we take electricity from Romania and Greece to compensate for the photovoltaics after 5 p.m. And there is no energy to balance the evening peak," the energy expert pointed out.

PSHP "Chaira" is of great importance for our energy system because it will cover the evening peak, "and now there is nothing to cover and we have a huge deficit".

He assessed Bulgaria's failure in 2017-2018 to apply, like all countries with coal, under the Capacity Mechanisms as incompetence and a big mistake. Poland, Greece, the Czech Republic have done this, and "Bulgaria missed the moment - the height of incompetence".

Hinovski warned that any help from the budget for coal plants would lead us to a "sanctions procedure" from the EC.

And predicts: "Maritsa East" will go bankrupt within 2 years because it has no market positioning. Which company will buy electricity for BGN 500 from a coal company?"

The energy expert said that years ago he proposed a good program for our energy system, but it was not accepted because "some people came, stopped the reform and said 'let's make some money'".