Bulgaria has temporarily halted electricity exports to meet high domestic demand due to the freezing weather, the country's energy minister said Tuesday.
"Currently, the national grid's stability is not in danger," Petar Dimitrov said. "You may simply assume that I am very cautious."
Lyubomir Velkov, chief executive of the National Electricity Company, said all exports have been halted until the end of the week. Some restrictions will remain in place until March 31.
Bulgaria - which helps supply Greece, Serbia and Macedonia - exports more than 7 million megawatt-hours of electricity a year.
Before its entry into the European Union a year ago, Bulgaria had to close two aging 440 MW units at its only nuclear plant, in Kozlodui. A 210 MW unit at the Bobov Dol coal power plant was also closed under environmental agreements with the E.U.
Velkov said residential consumption of electricity was up 20% so far this winter compared to last year.