site.btaBulgarian Electricity System Operator Hosts Workshop with Greek Transmission System Operator, Energy Regulator

Bulgaria's Electricity System Operator (ESO) hosted a workshop in Sofia with Greece's Transmission System Operator (IPTO) and Energy Regulator (RAE), ESO said in a press release on Tuesday.

The participants discussed the operation of the Southeast Electricity Network Coordination Centre (SEleNE CC) of the transmission system operators in the EU Member States of Southeastern Europe (Bulgaria's ESO, Greece's IPTO, Italy's Terna and Romania's Transelectrica), which was set up in May 2020 and is headquartered in Thessaloniki. On July 1, 2022 SEleNE CC was transformed into a Regional Coordination Center (RCC). 

The topics on the agenda of the meeting in Sofia included future challenges to RCC operation to ensure the security of the electricity networks in Southeastern Europe and the need to extend its services to third countries in the region. The workshop further focused on the implementation of EU regulations for planning the operation mode of the electricity systems, regional coordination, procurement of operational reserves and emergency management.

The participants discussed progress in the integration of the Bulgarian-Greek market zone into the common European electricity intraday market, due by the end of 2022. The integration of the Bulgarian-Greek border into the single intraday market will be the last step in the coupling of the Bulgarian and the neighbouring electricity markets, while the electricity markets of Italy and Greece will integrate with the single European intraday market.

The progress of the construction of the 400 kV interconnector between Maritsa East in Bulgaria and Nea Santa in Greece was discussed at the meeting with IPTO and RAE representatives. Construction work of the Bulgarian sector of the interconnector has already been completed.