The ongoing progress and future outlook of the energy relations between Greece and Bulgaria were reviewed in a one-day conference which IENE, in association with the Hellenic Business Council in Bulgaria (HBCB), organized in Sofia on April 29. High ranking government officials, senior executives and eminent engineers and scientists of both countries from major energy companies and organizations took part in this unique bilateral event.
The first session opened with remarks by the Chairman of IENE Dr. John Desypris and by the Executive Director of the Institute, Mr. Costis Stambolis. The Deputy Chairman of HBCB Mr. Nikos Georgopoulos outlined his organization’s strong interest in investing in Bulgaria especially in the energy field. On behalf of the Minister of Economy and Energy of Bulgaria Mr. Traycho Traykov, who was unable to participate personally, the head of the projects department at the Ministry, Mr. Lyubomir Petkov, delivered the Minister’s message, whereas the Ministry of Environment, Energy & Climate Change of Greece was represented by the Secretary General, Prof. Konstantinos Mathioudakis. Prof. Mathioudakis stressed the Greek government’s interest and commitment in strengthening an already established co-operation between the two countries in the energy sector. Dr. George Koutzoukos, Special Advisor of the Greek Regulatory Authority for Energy (RAE), focused on the need for regulatory co-operation between the two countries and the whole SE European region, followed by Mr. Plamen Denchev, representing the State Energy & Water Regulatory Commission of Bulgaria. The broad strategic aspects and foreign policy implications from the two countries’ co-operation in the energy field and the need of developing a common front on key energy issues were summed up by the Ambassador at Large for Energy Security and Climate Change and Coordinator for the EU Nabucco Project, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bulgaria, H.E. Dr. Peter Poptchev.
At the second session, Mr. Spyros Paleoyannis, Deputy Chairman of DEPA, thoroughly described the developments in regional natural gas interconnectors and energy security issues between Greece and Bulgaria, followed by Ms. Victoria Popovska, Head of Electricity Market Operator (ESO) of Bulgaria, who focused on the current situation of the electricity market in her country, as well as the plans for further compliance to ENTSO- E policies. A presentation was also made by Dr. John Kampouris (Director of System Planning, HTSO, Greece) on electricity transmission priorities in Greece, while the Bulgarian energy expert, Mr. Rosen Simitchiev, presented an all round picture of latest developments in the Bulgarian natural gas sector. Mr. Christos Dimas, General Director of Transbalkan Pipeline S.A., Greece, underlined the importance of the Burgas – Alexandroupolis oil pipeline which still remains an important strategic project for both countries.
The key issues related with the development of the RES sector in Bulgaria were the subject of the speech of Mr. Velizar Kiriakov, President of the Association of Producers of Ecological Energy, while Mr. Kaloyan Kanev, Deputy Chairman of the Bulgarian PV Association & Managing Director, 2EC, Bulgaria focused on the administrative obstacles and potential for development of the Bulgarian PV market. Dr. Kostas Daniilidis, President of the Greek Association of PV Producers, Greece referred to possible solutions on the problems faced by this sector and Mr. George Ftikas, Lawyer, KLC Law Firm underlined the regulatory and legal aspects of the investment opportunities in RES projects in Bulgaria. Finally, the EU-funded Geofar project with special reference to Bulgaria was the topic of a presentation by Mr. Nicholas Sofianos, European Projects Coordinator of IENE.
IENE’s “Hellenic-Bulgarian Co-operation in the Energy Sector” conference was sponsored by Greece’s national gas company DEPA and supported by EKO Bulgaria and the KLC Law Firm. The media partner of the event was http://www.energia.gr/