Bulgaria is weighing its electricity supply options while planning to boost gas imports from Azerbaijan to 2 billion cubic meters per year. This statement came during an interview on national Bulgarian television with Nikola Stoyanov, the minister responsible for the economy and industry in the country’s technical government, following a meeting in Baku.
Stoyanov described Azerbaijan as a traditional partner that has offered a larger share of gas from the future expansion of the southern gas corridor. He explained that a long term agreement could allow Bulgaria to purchase up to 2 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually, a figure aimed at meeting roughly 60 percent of the country’s gas needs.
He also noted ongoing discussions about exchanging gas volumes for electricity. The negotiations are expected to take around five months. And, starting October 1, once the Bulgarian-Greek interconnector is completed and brought online, Bulgaria would begin receiving about 1 billion cubic meters of gas per year.
Stoyanov added that experts from the Ministry of Energy would continue talks with Azerbaijan to settle price, quantity, delivery terms and other technical parameters. There is also optimism that the total gas supply could grow in the years ahead.
On September 10, President Rumen Radev stated that the current Bulgarian technical government does not plan to implement new electricity saving measures. He described curbing electricity consumption and production as a method that would hinder economic growth. (attribution: Bulgarian national press briefings, official statements)