Deputy Minister of Energy Krasimir Nenov expressed moderate optimism about the future of coal regions in Bulgaria. He emphasized that they now have a clearer picture of their development, based on the updated Integrated Energy and Climate Plan, in which coal-fired power generation has been given a key role in the transition period.
Nenov highlighted the role of coal-fired power generation for the country's energy security, which necessitates the need to reconfigure the work, so that the viability of the mines and power plants operating with this raw material is preserved during the transition period. According to him, coal is an important local resource that has proven its significant role for energy security and independence in times of crisis.
The Deputy Minister pointed out that the challenges related to sustainable development require the extraction to be focused on the most promising areas, and in parallel, the work on the remaining sites to be focused on their restoration and preparation for new economic activities.
Nenov emphasized that the developed territorial plans for the three coal regions provide development prospects and offer various opportunities and measures for socio-economic transformation. He also highlighted the partnership of the Ministry of Energy with international financial institutions in search of opportunities to finance new projects.
According to Deputy Minister Nenov, the Bulgarian Energy Holding is working on a decarbonization plan, which will unlock additional opportunities for new economic activities in the coal regions.