Bulgarian coal-fired TPP Maritsa East 3 produced 13 % of country’s electricity

In the period between 13 and 31 March, namely since the start of state of emergency over coronavirus outbreak, TPP Maritsa East 3, operated by US company ContourGlobal, produced 13 % of Bulgaria’s electricity.
The statement from the plant said that it continues to operate reliably and to contribute to ensuring the security and stability of the country’s energy system at this difficult time for industrial and residential consumers.
TPP Maritsa East 3 relies exclusively on local raw materials for its production, including lignite, extracted at the nearby Maritsa East mines and limestone supplied by Bulgarian quarries. The gypsum produced by the purification facilities of the power plant is used as a main raw material by other companies producing construction materials. It is among the few power plants in the Bulgarian energy system that can change their mode of operation from minimum to maximum power several times during the day. This mobility is crucial to ensuring the sustainability of the energy system. ContourGlobal Maritza East 3 owns and operates the first lignite coal-fired thermal power plant in southeastern Europe, which operates in full compliance with the highest European standards for occupational safety and environmental protection. The 908 MW plant generates 10 % of the electricity in Bulgaria, using local energy sources and thus contributes to guaranteeing the energy security and independence of the country. The plant produced 11 % of Bulgaria’s electricity in 2019. The shareholders are ContourGlobal with 73 % stake and the National Electricity Company (NEK) with 27 % stake.