Bulgaria’s electricity exports gone up by 40% for first four months of 2019

Electricity exports from Bulgaria have increased by over 42% in the first four months of the year, data from the Electricity System Operator shows.

According to the state-owned company, by the end of April electricity generation went up by over 6%, while consumption in the country increased by approximately 2%.

The increased generation is mainly due to the base capacities of the country - Kozloduy NPP and the TPP’s. For the first four months of the year, they have increased their production by nearly 13%. More serious is the growth of electricity generation by small renewable energy sources - photovoltaics, wind power plants and biomass plants. They have increased the quantities by 15%.

Surprisingly, water power plants seriously reduced their generation by nearly 40%, compared to the previous year.

Planned annual repair is taking place in one of the two Kozloduy NPP units since yeasterday. In addition to replacing its fuel, modernization will be carried out to allow the unit to operate at a capacity of 104%.

The repair is expected to be completed in mid-June. Until then, the largest electricity producer in the country will be the thermal power plants.

Both the increase of electricity generation in Bulgaria and the export are expected to continue unti the end of the year.

After June, exports of electricity are expected to increae even further due to the removal of export levy.