Renewables grid connection in northeastern Bulgaria impossible before Jun 2017

Aug 15, 2012 - The big renewable energy projects in northeastern Bulgaria that already have preliminary grid-connection contracts can be hooked to the local grid no earlier than June 2017, the owner of the power transmission network in Bulgaria NEK EAD told daily Standart News on Tuesday.

The company explained that there were too many power generation facilities in the region waiting to export electricity so the upgrade of the grid would require huge investments. Each green power generation project with a preliminary contract in the Balchik-Kavarna-Shabla-General Toshevo grid section is to receive a separate date for grid connection between June 1, 2017 and June 30, 2019, NEK said. This rule does not apply for small residential and commercial renewable energy installations of up to 200 kW.

According to NEK's 10-year plan for the upgrade and development of Bulgaria's transmission network, the grid-connection of renewable power plants in the rest of the country will be possible after 2016, Standart News said.

This delays in grid-connection come as the next huge blow to the renewable energy sector in Bulgaria after the recent cut of the feed-in tariffs (FiTs) for solar and wind power by more than 50% and by 20%, respectively, from July 2012.

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