Czech utility group CEZ said on Friday it may delay decommissioning some units
at its Bulgarian coal-burning plant in Varna beyond the end of the year if the
plant gets an exemption from EU environmental rules.
The exemption may
come as part of measures to secure energy stability with respect to tensions
with Russia, a spokesperson for CEZ group told SeeNews in an email.
“CEZ
can’t officially apply for the exemption, only the Bulgarian state can do it,”
she added.
It is possible that Bulgaria will get an exemption because the
Varna TPP can have a fundamental impact on the stability of the energy system
under some circumstances, according to the official.
In response to a
SeeNews query if Bulgaria plans to seek exemption from the EU rules for the TPP,
the country's economy ministry said the plant's owners should invest in upgrades
and an environmental retrofit to make the plant compliant with EU
standards.
The government is working for the rehabilitation of TPP Varna
and trying to ensure its effective operation as it is the second biggest TPP in
the country and in the Balkans, the ministry also said in an email. "The
companyis needed for the stability of power supplies both in Bulgaria and in
the region," it added.
Earlier this month, CEZ Bulgaria said it is
considering collaborating with state-run Bulgarian Energy Holding (BEH) on
setting up a project company to finance the eco retrofit of Units 4, 5 and 6 of
Varna TPP.
A month earlier, CEZ Bulgaria, which owns the TPP, said it had
signed with BEH a cooperation agreement to search for ways to extend the
lifespan of the 1,260 megawatt (MW) plant.
Varna TPP operates six units.
Units 4 and 5 of the power plant have been off-line since January 1, 2013 and
January 1, 2014, respectively, due to non-compliance with environmental limits
set in the respective integrated permit. Units 1, 2, and 3 are operating under a
“derogation regime” with limited operating hours per year.
In Bulgaria,
CEZ also operates as a power distributor, supplying electricity to 1.9 million
end-users in the country's west, including the capital Sofia.
BEH is the
catch-all holding company for the state assets in the country's energy
sector.