Bulgaria signed a contract for a feasibility study on the development of East-West energy corridor

Bulgaria’s caretaker Minister of Energy Vladimir Malinov on July 22 commented on the signing of the contract for the feasibility study for the construction of the East-West Energy Corridor.

The State signed a contract for the development of the East-West energy corridor. The contract is between the U.S. Trade and Development Agency and the Electric Power System Operator for grant funding of nearly $1.5 million for the feasibility study.

"This is another successful stage in the fruitful cooperation and development of the relationship between Bulgaria and the USA. Following the implementation of this project, we are achieving an increase in energy security, not only for Bulgaria, but for the entire region. This is an opportunity to exchange electricity between the countries in the region in real time," caretaker Energy Minister Vladimir Malinov said.

Caretaker Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev noted that for Bulgaria this cooperation is key for the implementation of the country's priorities in the energy sector.

For our country, this cooperation is key in terms of our country's priorities in the energy sector and the successful implementation of the green transition, said caretaker Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev, who participated in a signing ceremony of a contract between the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) and the Electricity System Operator (ESO EAD) for grant financing of the feasibility study for the construction of the East-West Energy Corridor.

“I would like to thank the agency on behalf of the Bulgarian government for the grant. The feasibility study will carry out an economic and technical analysis of the need to develop the electricity grid and increase cross-border capacity at Bulgaria's borders with Romania, Greece, Turkey and the Republic of North Macedonia. It will enable the efficient utilisation of green energy produced in the region and contribute to the successful implementation of our priorities related to the decarbonisation of the economy and the Green Deal. In this context, the plans for the construction of two new pumped storage hydropower plants in our country on the Batak and Dospat dams and their connections to the electricity grid will be analysed. All this is key to improving the electricity transmission infrastructure and energy security in the whole region of South-Eastern Europe," Glavchev said.

U.S. Ambassador to Bulgaria Kenneth Merten announced that the funding is $1.5 million.