The US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) signed a grant agreement with Bulgarian electricity transmission operator ESO to advance new transmission infrastructure that will ease the integration of new renewable energy sources and increase ESO’s capacity to export electricity to Bulgaria’s neighbours.
“This partnership with ESO will further Bulgaria’s renewable energy, climate and economic ambitions and catalyse benefits across Europe,” said USTDA Director Enoh T. Ebong. “By leveraging US technologies, USTDA’s engagement will help mitigate the climate crisis by supporting Bulgaria’s goals of decarbonising its power sector and providing additional capacity for renewable energy resources.”
USTDA’s grant will fund a feasibility study to assess the expansion of transmission grid, to increase cross-border capacity by 2,000 MW at each of its borders with Greece, North Macedonia, Romania and Türkiye. In addition to increasing export capacity, the project will ease the introduction of new renewable power onto Bulgaria’s grid and facilitate its transmission without impacting the grid’s stability.
“The implementation of the project is key to achieving the objectives of decarbonisation and increasing cross-border grid capacity for the transmission of electricity generated from renewable energy sources,” said Angelin Tsachev, CEO of ESO. “Meetings held with the electricity transmission operators of Türkiye, Greece, North Macedonia, Serbia, Kosovo, Albania and Montenegro have confirmed the viability of the project.”
