Bulgaria imposes temporary cuts to renewable energy generation

Bulgaria’s power grid operator ESO has asked the country’s three electricity distribution companies to limit the generation of electricity from renewable energy sources on April 25 in order to prevent the grid from overloading.

The electricity distribution companies – owned by Czech CEZ and Energo-Pro, as well as Austria’s EVN – were tasked with monitoring renewable energy production facilities, which were asked to operate at no more than 40 per cent of capacity.

The measure was imposed because the warm and sunny weather could result in a spike of electricity generation by solar and wind power producers at a time when electricity consumption remains low, ESO said.

Although the restriction was a brief one – from 10am to 5pm on April 25 – it once again showed that the grid operator was target renewable energy producers first when ESO needs to limit electricity generation.

Earlier this month, ESO asked all electricity producers in the country to limit their power generation in order to prevent grid overload. It also asked the electricity distribution companies to disconnect 40 per cent of renewable energy producers from the grid. The only exception was hydro-power plants, which were needed to work at full capacity to prevent dams from overflowing.

Related stories: Bulgaria’s electricity prices zero-sum game

Bulgaria cuts electricity production over floods threat, lower demand

(Electricity power-generating windmills at wind farm near Kaliakra, northwestern Bulgaria. Photo: Clive Leviev-Sawyer)

Comments

comments

The Sofia Globe staff

The Sofia Globe - the Sofia-based fully independent English-language news and features website, covering Bulgaria, the Balkans and the EU. Sign up to subscribe to sofiaglobe.com's daily bulletin through the form on our homepage. https://www.patreon.com/user?u=32709292