ERP North discussed joint actions in crisis situations with the local authorities in Gabrovo region

Representatives of the management of ENERGO-PRO Varna and its subsidiary electricity distribution company ERP North met with the regional governor of Gabrovo Maria Basheva, deputy mayors of Gabrovo and the mayors of Sevlievo, Tryavna and Dryanovo. The meeting discussed the electricity supply in the region and the challenges faced by the electricity distribution company during the crisis emergency situation in the last days of 2024, when individual settlements were without electricity.

The electricity distribution company explained the challenges in the work of the teams during the situation with increased equipment breakdowns. The company's employees repaired breakdowns until the wee hours of the day, enduring cold and wind and two-meter snowdrifts in some mountainous areas. In conditions of relatively positive temperatures during the day, a large amount of wet snow accumulated on the wires, and at night, with a decrease in temperature, they froze and led to breakdowns and serious damage to the electricity distribution network. To deal with the situation, the help of military and all-terrain agricultural equipment was used to reach the damaged areas and individual settlements. In order to promptly restore the electricity supply to customers, the company dispatched teams and deployed all-terrain and specialized equipment from the entire territory of ERP North AD to the affected areas. The meeting raised the issue, as in other similar situations in the past, that assistance from the mayors and deputy mayors is needed to collect up-to-date information on the points without power after accidents covering the entire settlement, and to provide it to the company's teams when starting the restoration of the low-voltage network after the priority restoration of the medium-voltage power supply scheme.

During the meeting, the management of ERP North emphasized that the company strictly fulfills its licensing obligations on the territory of Northeastern Bulgaria. It was stated that in case of weather conditions outside the norm, such as those after the Christmas holidays of 2024 in the region, as well as for quick access to the facilities in a breakdown, assistance from the municipalities and the regional governor is categorically needed with clearing the small streets in the settlements, and not only the main roads. Assistance from the local authorities is also needed in the regulation of villa areas, settlements and hamlets in order to more quickly build new networks and facilitate their servicing by the electricity distribution company. In this sense, it is imperative to carry out detailed development plans (DDP) - street regulation plans (DDP-SRP) in these areas. For the smooth further work on the construction of new facilities, it is important to continue the procedural activities of the Municipalities even after the entry into force of a PUP. In this regard, it was added that the expectations are that the Municipalities will build infrastructure other than a dirt road to each settlement, which will help to more quickly restore power supply in remote small settlements and hamlets.

At the meeting, the management introduced the local authorities in Gabrovo to the investment program of ERP North. It was noted that in order to accelerate the modernization of the network, the company has increased investments in electricity distribution facilities in 2024. from 43 to nearly 54 million, which represents an increase of over 25% and is above the investments approved by the EWRC for the period 2024 - 2026 in the amount of 50 million leva per year. It was added that every year ERP North conducts an expert analysis of the regions in which an increased failure rate of facilities has been established and prioritizes investments in the network in these places.