The Parliamentary Energy Committee has approved a draft decision requiring the Government to prepare a comprehensive report on the implementation of Parliament’s decisions concerning the Maritsa East complex, the largest energy facility in southeastern Europe. This report must detail, chronologically, the steps taken regarding amendments to the Recovery and Resilience Plan as they pertain to the energy sector, specifically focusing on the Maritsa East complex.
Under the draft decision, the Minister of Energy is also mandated to update Parliament on all actions taken to amend the plan and to provide all correspondence between Bulgaria and the European Commission on the matter. The Government has ten working days from the adoption of the decision to prepare and submit the report.
In early 2024, the European Investment Bank (EIB) will offer advisory support to the Bulgarian Ministry of Energy. The EIB’s Advisory Service teams will assist in selecting modernization initiatives for the Maritsa East complex. They will evaluate the complex’s current state, including its infrastructure and skilled workforce, to develop a roadmap for investors aimed at transitioning to cleaner energy. This transformation plan is intended to preserve jobs and attract investment, given that the Maritsa East complex is one of Europe’s largest open-pit lignite mines and includes several coal-fired power plants.
