site.bta Bulgaria Expects to Complete Technical Negotiations with EC on Country's Recovery and Resilience Plan by Mid-March

Bulgaria expects completion of the technical negotiations on its National Recovery and Resilience Plan with the European Commission (EC) towards March 15, Deputy Prime Minister for EU Funds and Minister of Finance Assen Vassilev said here on Thursday during a meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on EU Affairs. After the completion of the negotiations, the plan is to undergo the relevant approval procedures, Vassilev said, adding that Bulgaria will be able to start work under the Plan as soon as it has been given technical approval, that is before it is officially signed. 

The biggest change in the Plan is the dropped investment in a steam gas power plant, which was replaced with a project for infrastructure for storage of 6,000 MWh of energy and for geothermal energy generation, Vassilev said. 

The Plan's transport programme enhances the focus on sustainable transport, including suburban and intercity trains, and better public transport. Vassilev said that an amount of 640 million leva has been planned for 23-24 suburban and intercity trains.

Lesser changes in the Plan concern the provision of broadband internet in regional centres, the development of the Tetra system for communication during emergencies, and the digitalization of the Bulgarian posts. 

The programme regarding healthcare provides for changes to the 112 emergency phone number system to streamline its work. 

The project for energy storage in batteries and their installation, valued at 1.5 billion leva, was developed by the Energy Ministry and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. The batteries will be property of an enterprise under the Energy Ministry and will be installed in sub-stations of the Electricity System Operator. The batteries will be available for renting by other players on the energy market at market prices. The minimum number of charging cycles of the batteries is set at 7500 cycles. If they are charged and discharged daily, this means a service life of 15 years. 

The batteries will be manufactured in Bulgaria and "this is a question of national security," Vassilev said. He even went so far as to say that if the investment in the plant that will manufacture the batteries needs to be increased, he himself will pay the price so as to ensure the national security. The energy storage costs will be about 10 euro per one MWh, which Vassilev described as "fairly cheap". 

Vassilev said final talks are underway for an additional analysis of the security of deliveries to the coal-powered plants in the Maritsa basin. The three big power plants there are not going to be closed. Only facilities not meeting the environmental standards will be closed, such as Brikel and Bobov Dol, Vassilev said. 

The situation in Ukraine does not have a direct impact on the Plan, he said, noting that if the project for a steam gas power plant had remained in the Plan and if Bulgaria had agreed to shut down power generating facilities, this country now would have been at a disadvantageous position. Vassilev said that the delay in submitting the Plan has helped Bulgaria opt for solutions that are to its advantage.