CLOSURES OF COAL-POWERED STATIONS MAY LEAD TO ELECTRICITY PRICE SPIKE

The price of electricity may have to go up by between 35% and 40% after 2020 if coal- powered stations in Bulgaria are closed, as advocated by the European Commission, estimates by the Bulgarian Mining Chamber showed on 17th of March.

A new resolution will be voted on 28th of April in Brussels which will increase the requirements for environmental friendliness of thermal power plants. In Bulgaria, nearly 50% of the electricity is generated by such capacities.

If the Thermal Power Plants are closed, more than 120,000 people will remain without work, trade unions’ estimates show. According to data of the mining chamber, the average wage of the miners in the country is over 1,000 BGN (500 euros). The mining chamber did not comment on the coal mines (where wages are low and there are frequent incidents and strikes), saying they were not members of the chamber.