“Maritsa 3” TPP is planning mass protest in Sofia

Thermal Power Plant "Maritsa 3", together with CITUB and "Podkrepa" trade unions, are planning mass protests in Sofia next week under the slogan "Don't kill the Bulgarian energy sector! Save Bulgarian energy independence!".

"Together we are starting a battle not just because of the unreasonable closure of Maritsa 3 TPP, we want the work to resume, also for the sake of our children," says a statement from the plant to the media.

The protest of TPP Maritsa 3 is cancelled, the plant resumes work

"More energy workers from the country will join us in the battle for the future of Bulgarian energy sector! Thousands of Bulgarians who are worried about their jobs will join the mass protests!

This is what the statement further says:

It is madness and a total misconception of the government to shut down facilities providing cheap energy from local sources at a time when there is a war going on near our borders and natural gas supplies from our largest supplier have been suspended! Shutting down just one plant risks driving up electricity prices, which record highs have proven that it is too early for us to go green and say goodbye to coal!

It is absurd and an example of total chaos and incompetence for us to be given permission at 10am that the plant can resume work and 3 hours later the Minister reversed the decision! Such actions are arbitrary and disrespectful of Bulgarian law! We intend to seek our legal rights by referring the situation to the Bulgarian Prosecutor's Office!

3 weeks after the shutdown of the plant we are still wondering what the real reason for the imposed compulsory administrative measure is, because there are no clear and unambiguous facts in the official documents.

Once again we remind you of our desire to implement our ambitious renovation programme, for which a large investment is planned. The only thing we want is to work on minimum load until the end of the month to prepare the repair programme in the best way. Without the facilities being up and running, it is impossible to find the trouble spots. We don't understand why the institutions on one hand tell us that repairs are needed, but in the other hand they don't allow us to carry out a survey to work out our repair programme in the best possible way.

An official inspection was carried out a few days ago, which found that since we have been out of operation we have made many improvements to the main and auxiliary facilities, and we have purchased a mobile dust extraction system, but despite the work we have done, we have not been given permission to put the facilities into operation so that we can survey them and start the major repair programme.

Not only the engineers in Maritsa 3 TPP, but also the rest of the Bulgarians in the energy sector are not ready to look for new professions after having spent 10-20 or 30 years of their lives to specialise and develop themselves as professionals! The government should not let thousands of energy workers and miners lose their jobs for no reason! Thanks to these experienced professionals, the green transition in Bulgaria can happen in a dignified way, guaranteeing energy independence and security. Energy is a matter of national interest!

We want to work green and we will make the necessary efforts to carry out the important renovations! The only way this can happen is if we are allowed to work until the end of the month! The allegations that pressure has been put on the institutions are baseless and untrue.

Next week there will be a protest of thousands of energy workers in front of the Ministry of Environment, and we are preparing a letter to the Bulgarian Prosecutor's Office."